


Taking the Lead and Taking my Time

by OliviaSprite



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Detective AU, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, So it is a main character, but not really, major death is just Pierce, the annie and jeff detective duo I always wanted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:42:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25991527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OliviaSprite/pseuds/OliviaSprite
Summary: "I told you, I'm taking a break, no cases that don't involve hot widows," He reminded him."She's not a widow but she is definitely cute," Duncan promised."Is she dead?" Jeff muttered, eyes flicking down to his desk where he had a pile of paperwork to get through. Or to further procrastinate doing for just one more day."No, she's your new partner," Duncan finally got to his point just as the click of high heels entered his office."Hi!" A high-pitched voice chirped. Jeff looked up from the desk and his eyes landed on who he'd assumed was the new receptionist earlier. Now, from looking at her properly, he could see the shiny detective badge clipped to her jacket, and the big blue eyes that made her look like a child playing dress up in a detective's outfit.OrA Detective AU where Jeff and Annie are sent to the sleepy town of Greendale to investigate a series of murders that are slowly looking like the work of a serial killer. Jeff is brash and uninterested in detective work, and Annie is bursting to prove herself on her first ever field case, but will they bring something out in each other that goes deeper than just the case?
Relationships: Annie Edison/Jeff Winger, Troy Barnes/Britta Perry
Comments: 54
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This fic is going to be a longer form one than my first work, which began as a one shot and became a four chapter beast. I've planned this one out to be around six chapters but it may increase knowing me, who knows.  
> Disclaimer: I know very little about police procedures, this is all just a bit of fun and fiction, and the idea came to me while watching the yam episode and the ass crack bandit episode - I love when Jeff and Annie team up and I wanted to mess around with it.  
> As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated, I hope you enjoy!

The cold sleet outside ran down the Denver Police Station windows like splatters of paint. The officers sitting at their desks, bustling around the station, going over case files and pouring coffee, created a dull murmur throughout the building that settled over Jeff's ears with comfort and familiarity. He slid his sunglasses over and up into his hair, and even the muted lights of the station caused his head to ache a little more. He nodded in greeting to those that acknowledged him, but he didn't speak a word as he made his way past the front desk. His eyes briefly came over a girl at the counter, young, in a tight skirt and with shoulder length brown hair. Cute, she'd be a nice sight as the new receptionist, lord knows their current receptionist Betty wasn't the nicest thing to see first in the morning.  
Phone perched in his hand as he stood at the back of the elevator, he could feel eyes on him but he didn't care to meet their gazes. The elevator pinged when it reached his floor, and he effortlessly made his way to his office at the end of the floor, without glancing up from his Facebook feed. One of his cousins was posting about her new baby she'd brought into the world over the weekend. Lovely.  
He sighed in relief when he opened the door into his office and the lights were off. He pondered on just working by lamp light until the final remnants of his hangover edged away. Jeff shrugged off his coat, wiping away the pinpricks of snow entangled in the expensive cotton blend and hung it up by the door.  
He'd barely clicked said door closed before it was swung open again.  
"Detective Winger, good to see you only forty five minutes late today," The English drawl of his boss, Constable Duncan, bounced off the four walls of his office and made his ears ring.  
"Morning sir," Jeff sighed, sitting down at his desk and flicking the lamp on.  
"Oh a sir today? You must be more hungover than you should be at work then," Duncan smirked.  
"You're one to talk, out of the two of us at least I can add the word highly functional before the descriptor of alcoholic," Jeff chuckled wryly.  
"What you call alcoholism I call British culture," Duncan remarked. Jeff fixed him with a bored stare. "I have a new case for you, it's an interesting one," He promised. Jeff rolled his eyes.  
"I told you, I'm taking a break, no cases that don't involve hot widows," He reminded him.  
"She's not a widow but she is definitely cute," Duncan promised.  
"Is she dead?" Jeff muttered, eyes flicking down to his desk where he had a pile of paperwork to get through. Or to further procrastinate doing for just one more day.  
"No, she's your new partner," Duncan finally got to his point just as the click of high heels entered his office.  
"Hi!" A high-pitched voice chirped. Jeff looked up from the desk and his eyes landed on who he'd assumed was the new receptionist earlier. Now, from looking at her properly, he could see the shiny detective badge clipped to her jacket, and the big blue eyes that made her look like a child playing dress up in a detective's outfit.  
"I don't need a partner," Jeff directed his statement to Duncan, before looking back at the now confused looking woman. "I'm sure you're great, welcome to the force and all that, but he's mistaken," He added firmly.  
"Annie is one of our newest and brightest detectives, she's shown great promise and has been monitoring this case herself, and now we want to send her into the field and I think you'd be the perfect partner for her," Duncan carried on as if Jeff hadn't disregarded either of them.  
"I already said no," Jeff gritted out, looking back at his desk.  
"I'm your boss, you'll do as I say," Duncan also gritted out. Jeff looked back up with disdain. Duncan didn't get firm with him unless he really meant it. Jeff knew he could probably persuade him otherwise, but he decided to humour him just a bit, to lead him into a false sense of security.  
"What's the case?" He asked. Duncan smiled and turned to Annie. Annie clearly took this as her cue, smiling a bit too excitedly for her next words;  
"Serial killer!"  
She seemed to realise her over excitement, and cleared her throat. "In a little town outside of Denver, called Greendale, we've noticed a steady onslaught of victims and the police down there agree it's the same person committing the murders, enough to declare them a serial killer," She continued, fiddling her fingers as she spoke.  
"Has their MO been determined?" Jeff asked.  
"So far all the victims have been rich, the ones who live in the more expensive houses in town, but that's the only trend between them all that the police down there have found," Annie answered.  
"Yeah, small town cops, they're probably useless," Jeff groaned, wiping his face. "And why does it have to be me that goes? Doesn't sound that complicated."  
Duncan hesitated. He turned to Annie. "Annie could you go get the case file off my desk?" He asked.  
"Oh yeah sure," Annie nodded with a smile, moving out of the room with haste.  
"She's peppy," Jeff sighed. "Duncan, I told you, I wanted a break, after... last time, I don't want to go on big investigations," He reaffirmed.  
"I think the fresh air of a small town will do you good," Duncan shrugged, "Not to mention the wide eyed naivety of a young, hot, new recruit."  
"Are you actually telling me to sleep with a co-worker right now?" Jeff snorted.  
"God no, touch her and you're fired," Duncan snorted right back. Jeff rolled his eyes. Not that he really cared, Annie was cute, but too enthusiastic, too bubbly, and definitely too young.  
"Aren't you scared I'll corrupt her and turn her into a lazy cynic with an alcohol dependency?" Jeff asked.  
"No, I'm actually quite confident she'll turn you into something more like her," Duncan smirked.  
"Here you go sir," Annie practically bounded in when she returned, holding the case file out to Duncan.  
"Yeah good luck with that confidence," Jeff muttered to Duncan. Duncan handed Jeff the case file.  
"You leave tomorrow, I've already booked your accommodation, take the company car, make a playlist for the drive, I want to hear an update in a week's time," Duncan instructed to the two. "Behave," He said firmly to Jeff before leaving the room. Jeff flipped through the case file, not realising Annie was still awkwardly standing there until she cleared her throat. Jeff looked up at her, noting the nervous way she was slightly rocking on her feet.  
"I guess I didn't really introduce myself, I'm Annie Edison," Annie smiled, putting her hand out. "Detective Annie Edison, I'm still learning to say that," She corrected with a giggle that could have come from a Disney princess.  
Jeff warily reached up and shook her hand. "Detective Jeff Winger," He introduced.  
"I've heard a lot about you, you've worked some really interesting cases," Annie praised. Jeff nodded noncommittally, his eyes flicking over the photos of victims in the case file.  
"You've been a detective a long time then?" She asked.  
Jeff remained silent.  
"Not that you're old," Annie quickly stuttered.  
Jeff remained silent.  
"Old enough to have great experience and therefore strategy for this kind of thing though, I'm sure," She tacked on.  
"Old enough to know when someone's talking for the sake of it," Jeff grumbled, finally looking back up at her. "Really Annie I'm sure-"  
"Detective Edison," She interrupted and that took Jeff by surprise. He noticed how she squared her shoulders more, stood up straighter, hardened her gaze. Gone was the Disney princess, now he was faced with an adult. Or someone trying to act like one. He'd clearly struck a nerve by trying to patronise her.  
"Detective Edison, I'm sure you're keen to get out there and solve your own case and prove how great you are and make the world a better place, but I promise you, this trip won't be like a TV show, it'll be boring, probably lead us nowhere, and your faith in the good versus evil will be crushed," He patronised her anyway, somehow eager to prove that he was more of the adult here.  
She was stunned silent for a moment, and Jeff thought he saw the quivering of her bottom lip, but it was gone as soon as he thought he saw it.  
"I'm not a child," Her voice was soft but steady. "I've worked hard, I've had enough experience to understand I'm not playing a character on a TV show, I've also had enough experience with men like you," She practically hissed. Jeff raised an eyebrow.  
"Men like me?" He prodded.  
"Alcoholic, but functional enough to get by. Sleeps with anyone who will take you just to say that you did. Intimidated by women who are smarter than you, who aren't as tainted by life as you, roll your eyes at young detectives who still enjoy the job mainly because you're annoyed you don't feel that way anymore. And you either don't like taking cases anymore because you're scared that in your old age you've lost your touch, did I miss anything?" Annie barely stopped to take a breath but she said it all with conviction. Like a fire licking the walls of a home, crumbling it easily and without struggle. Jeff hated it. He stood up, fuelled with the anger that this woman, this girl, had the nerve to say all of those things to him.  
"I am still your senior detective; I can get you removed from this case-" He began.  
"It's my case," Annie interrupted again. She smiled with fake sweetness. "Hearing must be going too. Constable Duncan told you this is my case, I've been watching it for a while, they just can't send me to it on my own just yet. Doesn't matter, you can come along, watch me solve this without your help and get a free hotel room to drown yourself with mini bar booze, how does that sound?" She smirked, fluttering her eyelashes. It made Jeff's belly swoop and he almost wasn't sure if it was anger or arousal. The two were always closely connected right?  
Without another word she left the office, closing the door behind her. Jeff swallowed thickly. Very rarely did he underestimate someone, but he had a feeling he'd underestimated Detective Annie Edison. 

“I messed up,” Annie groaned on the phone, pulling her coat tighter around her as she stepped out into the cold evening air.  
“How? I thought things were going really well, you’ve got your first field case and your Constable thinks the sun shines out of your ass,” Her friend Frankie sighed down the phone.  
“I sassed the senior detective,” Annie sighed as she climbed into a cab, pulling the phone away from her ear momentarily to tell the driver her address.  
“Did he deserve it?”  
“Well yeah, he was talking to me like I’m a child,” Annie bristled even thinking about the way Detective Winger had spoke to her. And to think, she’d been so excited to work with him, she’d practically idolised him when she was studying – Detective Jeff Winger, great with words, could argue his way out of anything and managed to always find the truth. “I had enough of that kind of crap when I was moving up the ranks, I just couldn’t hear it again,” She sighed.  
“Can you just avoid him?” Frankie asked.  
“Hah, that’s the kicker, we’ve been assigned to go to Greendale next week, he’s essentially my babysitter,” She grumbled. Detective Winger had avoided her all day after their interaction – or rather she’d avoided him, it was hard to tell which. “His report on how I work will decide if I get to lead field cases after this.”  
“Ohhh you did mess up then,” Frankie admitted.  
“God, what do I do?” Annie groaned.  
“You do what every old man wants, you suck up to him. You make him feel like God’s gift to humanity, you bring him coffee in the morning, apologise for getting off on the wrong foot and maybe laugh at a lame joke he makes,” She suggested. “It’ll be the worst, you’ll hate yourself for it, but then you’ll get a glowing report and you never have to kiss his ass again.”  
“No, I’ll just have to kiss the ass of the next old, alcoholic man in the ranks,” Annie sighed.  
“There’s a lot of asses on the path to world domination Annie,” Frankie chuckled. Annie rubbed her temples with her forefinger and thumb.  
“Yeah, you’re right,” She nodded. “I’ll let you know how it goes.” 

The next morning Annie felt a lot better. She held two cups of coffee in her hands, walking into the precinct ready to apologise for her words. In all fairness, she did feel a little guilty, she’d been somewhat nasty and judgemental. It was rare that Annie had the confidence to get sassy, but something about Detective Winger had brought it right out of her within seconds of meeting him.  
“Morning Detective Winger,” Annie greeted as she came into his office. She’d half expected him to not be there, he’d been so late the day before, but to his credit, he looked completely ready to go with a backpack on his desk.  
“Morning Detective Edison,” Detective Winger murmured out, flicking his eyes up from his phone to look at her. She could sense the steel in his gaze, she knew she wasn’t out of the woods even in the light of a new day.  
“I brought you coffee,” Annie said, pushing the cup towards him. He looked down at it, then back up at her.  
“Is it poisoned?” He asked.  
Annie swallowed thickly. “I wanted to apologise for what I said yesterday,” She cut right to the chase. “I was nervous to be going on my first field case, I’ve been researching this case for a while, and I wanted it to go well,” She explained, enlarging her eyes a bit for good measure. She’d long ago learned the power of her big doe eyes. “I didn’t take well to being talked down to when I’m trying to prove myself, but I still shouldn’t have snapped, I’m sorry,” She nodded.  
Detective Winger continued to stare at her. Annie would be lying if she said it didn’t make her feel small, like a child being reprimanded. But, she also couldn’t deny how attractive he was. She’d always thought so when she’d been following his cases during her studies. He was hot in that older man kind of way, and he didn’t even look his age.  
“Call me Jeff,” He finally spoke, picking up the cup of coffee and taking a sip, and Annie took that as an apology accepted.  
“Call me Annie,” She nodded too, smiling a small smile at him. Jeff looked away to shoulder his backpack and pick up the case file off his desk. “Are you going to drive?” She asked.  
“Yep, and I’m picking the playlist,” Jeff said firmly, walking past her out of his office and making towards the lift to go down to the garage. Annie sighed as Frankie’s words echoed through her mind; there’s a lot of asses on the path to world domination Annie.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter arrives! So glad you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Here's the next one - like I said, take my police writing with a grain of salt, I'm kind of making this up as I go and using the little knowledge I've gained from the few cop shows I've seen.

The drive was long, even with Jeff’s best playlist playing over the speakers. Annie seemed to have taken their newfound ‘peace’, as an excuse to chat his ear off. As much as he would have preferred silence, he couldn’t deny she made him chuckle a few times, her impersonation of Duncan was brilliant, and her stories of some of the cases she’d worked as a new policewoman before becoming detective were hilarious. It reminded him of his own days as a policeman before he made detective, and how so much of it was just trying to get drunk people off the sidewalk on a Saturday night.   
Other than that though, he of course would have preferred silence.   
When they finally arrived in the town of Greendale, Jeff let out a loud exhale.   
“What?” Annie asked, looking up from the case file she’d been re-reading – the quietest ten minutes he’d had in the car ride thus far.   
“This looks like the most boring town in all of Colorado,” He muttered.   
Annie looked out the window at the shopfronts and the community college that looked like it was falling apart.   
“I’m sure it has character,” She chirped.   
“I don’t get how a town with a population of only four hundred can’t figure out who the murderer is,” Jeff chortled.   
“Must be a fairly smart murderer,” She mumbled in response. She pointed out the window at the tallest building they’d seen yet. “That’s the Inn Duncan booked us into,” Annie advised. Jeff pulled into the parking lot, climbing out and grabbing both of their bags. He saw Annie smile bashfully and even look down at her feet.   
“Thanks,” She said gratefully. Man, this girl clearly hadn’t had positive male role models in her life if she thought this was impressive.   
The two walked inside, the bell above the door tinkling as they crossed the threshold. Inside the Inn was a large space filled with dining tables, an alcoholic bar behind it, and a sandwich bar signed ‘SHIRLEY’S SANDWICHES’ above it. The décor was all mismatched, and it was a bit dusty, but it seemed popular by the number of patrons sitting at the tables eating the sandwiches.   
Annie took the lead and walked ahead of Jeff to the bar, approaching the blonde girl behind the counter.   
“Hi, I’d like to check in,” She smiled at her.   
“Sure, is the room under your name or your dads?” The blonde asked, making Jeff’s inside curl. He knew Annie was quite a bit younger than him, but he’d not thought he looked old enough to be her dad.   
“Oh, no, he’s my partner,” Annie corrected, to which the blonde gave her a scrutinising look.   
“Police partner, the room is under Detective Winger,” Jeff quickly tacked on, just wanting this whole conversation to be over.   
“Ohhh, you two are the detectives, my boyfriend told me about you guys coming, he’s part of the police round here,” Blonde nodded. “I’m Britta,” She introduced. “Lemme grab Shirley for you, she always likes introducing herself to guests with a longer stay, since you’ll see a lot of her and I,” Britta nodded before walking away from the bar into a room behind the sandwich shop.   
Annie turned back to face Jeff, her cheeks a little pink. She must have gotten flushed when Britta assumed they were together.   
“Sorry about that,” She chuckled awkwardly. Jeff shrugged, reaching into his jean pocket for his phone and hoping maybe he’d missed a call from his mom – he usually did – but he hadn’t, and so he had to take part in this conversation. “If it’s any consolation my dad is a lot older than you,” Annie continued.   
“Annie-“   
“And you look great,” She babbled, “for your age,” She added even quicker.   
“Annie, it’s fine,” Jeff finally looked back up and even rested a hand on her shoulder in earnest. “I’m older than you, that’s no secret, and I don’t even eat carbs, so I’m probably going to live longer than this barmaid anyway,” he shrugged. Annie raised an eyebrow.   
“You know alcohol will kill you quicker than carbs will, right?” She pointed out. Jeff was silent for a moment, unsure of how to argue his way out of that one, but alas, lovely Britta returned, with an older woman wearing an apron with the Christian cross embroidered on it. He knew he’d hate this town.   
“You two must be the detectives, I’m Shirley, this is my Inn,” She greeted. Annie turned back to the two with a smile.   
“Lovely to meet you, I’m Detective Annie Edison, and this is Detective Jeff Winger,” She introduced, and Jeff merely nodded in response.   
“Well, welcome to Greendale the both of you, it’s so nice we’re finally going to get some competent police work done around here-“   
“Hey, Shirley, what’s that supposed to mean? Troy and Abed do their best-“ Britta interrupted.   
“Oh yes, I know that,” Shirley smiled sweetly but it was almost false the way she said it. “But I’m sure they could use extra hands, a serial killer is probably a bit above their pay check.”   
“Well that’s more to do with how much the government thinks small town cops deserve, and further, how much the government thinks minority small town cops deserve-“ Britta began to argue but Shirley interrupted her, casting a steeled gaze to Jeff and Annie.   
“If you two need anything let me know, I know all the town gossip around here, everyone shares their secrets around Shirley’s Sandwiches,” She gloated with a small giggle. “I’ll show you to your room.”   
Jeff sighed in relief when Shirley stepped out from behind the bar holding their key cards for the room. She led them through a door towards the back of the building, up some stairs to the second floor, and down a long hall towards the door at the end. An old man stuck his head out of his room at the sound of their footsteps, making direct eye contact with Jeff.   
“Little bitch detective,” He grunted.   
“Leonard stay in your room,” Shirley snapped. She smiled back at Jeff with that too cheesy smile Jeff was starting to become accustomed to. “Sorry about him, too old to live on his own so he stays here,” she apologised.   
She unlocked their room at the end of the hallway. It wasn’t big. It was one room with a small stove, mini fridge, a small bathroom attached, a wardrobe and a rather large king bed.   
One king bed.   
“You don’t have a room with separate beds?” Jeff asked, the back of his neck crawling.   
“Oh I’m afraid I don’t, we’re all booked up because of the annual Shirley’s Sandwiches Dance happening this Friday night, practically the whole town comes along and would rather stay here then try and find their way home drunk, not to mention the discount they get on my spectacular sandwiches if they stay more than one night,” Shirley explained. “I can bring a single inflatable mattress in here though, wouldn’t want two unmarried people with such an age gap such as yourselves not leaving space for Jesus,” She laughed forcefully. Jeff pursed his lips.   
“A mattress would be great,” He gritted out. Shirley nodded and left the room in a hurry, shouting at Leonard again on her way down the hall. Jeff looked to Annie who looked like she was trying to hold in laughter.   
And then the two couldn’t stop laughing.   
Was it the tiredness from the long car ride? The slightly weird townspeople they’d already met? Or the awkwardness of possibly having to share a bed had it not been for an inflatable mattress?   
Jeff didn’t know, all he knew was he couldn’t stop laughing, and he really liked the sound of Annie’s laugh too.   
They finally got themselves together and put their bags down. “I organised for the cops here to meet us at the latest victim’s house, do you want to go there now?” Annie asked.   
“You take the lead on this one Annie, it’s your case,” Jeff nodded, wanting to give Annie the opportunity to prove herself since she so clearly desperately wanted to.   
She practically beamed at him from his words, and her face went pink again. Jeff couldn’t help but admit he rather liked that look on her face too. 

Jeff definitely noticed a change in the town on the drive to the victim’s house. All the houses around this area of Greendale were huge, almost mansions, they looked much more well kept and modern.   
“Pretty much all the victims so far have lived in this part of town,” Annie explained as they drove. “The murderer is targeting the richest of the town, but why?”   
“Stealing their riches?” Jeff suggested.   
“So far robbery hasn’t been included on the file, in fact, the file says the killer never leaves a sign of a break in,” Annie explained.   
“So they’re being welcomed in? Someone all of these people know,” Jeff muttered. They pulled up to the biggest house of them all.   
“Victims name is Pierce Hawthorne, of Hawthorne Wipes – explains his riches I suppose,” Annie read from the case file. “Found about two days after approximated time of death, bludgeoned on the back of the head, just like all the other victims.”   
Jeff climbed out of the car and rushed around to open Annie’s for her. Her face went pink again and Jeff found he was rather enjoying making her flustered.   
They walked to the front gate of the mansion, seeing two men in police uniforms standing by the front door talking. Their voices drifted down the driveway as Annie and Jeff walked closer to them.   
“But if Inspector Spacetime was to go back and save her-“   
“He’d throw off the whole universe, yeah I know Abed, but-“   
“Hello?” Annie called out, which made both men spin around.   
“Ah, Detective Winger and Detective Edison right?” One of the men said, he had a rather long face and a clipped way of speaking. He walked towards them and Jeff put out his hand for a shake but the man just looked at him. His partner, with a wide smile and enough eager energy to rival Annie’s, sidled up and shook Jeff’s hand.   
“I’m Officer Troy Barnes, and this is Officer Abed Nadir,” Troy introduced the two of them.   
“What have you got to tell us about this case?” Annie asked, and Jeff noticed her standing up a little straighter. He saw Troy’s eyes flicker to her chest, which was now more pronounced, and Jeff instinctively stepped a little closer. Troy’s attention shifted and he looked to Abed.   
“Come up to the house,” Abed spoke, turning and leading them up. Jeff stepped forward but he wasn’t quick enough to beat Annie, who marched forward to match the pace of Abed. Jeff couldn’t help but smile a little, her eagerness was almost refreshing, and he wondered absently if Duncan had been right about her rubbing off on him.   
They came inside and Jeff winced at the décor. All around the house was distasteful posters, mismatched furniture, and handmade clay sculptures of a naked Pierce (whom he recognised from the file), and various naked women. He wondered if these women knew they’d become a feature piece in some old guy’s home, because they were significantly younger than him.   
“I’m sure you read in the file that the killer never breaks in,” Abed was drawling to Annie, who nodded fast.   
“Yes, always welcomed in, so it must be someone these victims all know,” Annie repeated Jeff’s sentiments from earlier, but he didn’t point that out, wanting her to have her moment.   
While Annie talked with Abed and Troy about the case, Jeff wondered around, his eyes trained for any other signs of distress. There was a few shattered items and blood, but they were already marked as noted by the police, so Jeff assumed they were with forensics right now. What they needed was a list of suspects.   
“Who was the last person to see Mr Hawthorne alive?” Jeff asked, unsure if he’d interrupted and honestly uncaring. Troy looked to Abed.   
“You took witness statements, right?” He asked. Abed reached into his pocket and pulled out a flip back notebook – who even used those anymore? Jeff got the feeling this Abed man was somewhat eccentric.   
“Britta Perry, she’s a bartender at Shirley’s Sandwiches,” Abed answered.   
“We met her earlier,” Jeff nodded.   
“She claims Pierce came to Shirley’s Sandwiches and got drunk, started hitting on Shirley for the hundredth time, and Britta took him home at the end of her shift since he seemed sad and lonely,” Abed read out the notes he’d taken.   
“But Britta wouldn’t hurt Pierce,” Troy said firmly.   
“You her boyfriend?” Jeff asked.   
“Yeah, so you’re going to leave her alone,” Troy growled, seemingly getting angry very quickly and smashing a naked lady sculpture.   
“Walk it off Troy!” Abed yelled, and Troy marched outside. “Sorry about him, we agreed he’d be bad cop today.”   
Jeff shook his head in disbelief, looking over at Annie who was looking at the evidence Jeff had seen earlier. “We should go talk to forensics,” Annie said.   
“They’ll be closed by now,” Abed said, looking out at the gradually setting sun.   
“Closed?” Annie asked.   
“Small town,” Jeff sighed. “We’ll have to go in the morning.”   
“Are you guys staying at Shirley’s Sandwiches?” Abed asked, to which the two both nodded. “Hm, you’ve got enough chemistry and sexual tension, I bet you’re awkwardly staying in a room with one bed am I right?”   
“The inn is full for some dance,” Jeff answered, side stepping his comments about chemistry and sexual tension – this guy clearly had something wrong with him and Jeff didn’t feel like being a complete ass today.   
“Interesting, the unresolved will they, won’t they, such a common trope it’s like you’re living in a fanfiction world,” Abed commented.   
“We better get going,” Jeff sighed, making eye contact with Annie who nodded quickly, the two walking back to the car.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait on this one! I've had about a zillion other Annie/Jeff stories come into my brain so there's been a bit of a delay on this one. Updates should come more often now, but also keep an eye out for some more Jeff/Annie coming your way!

Annie stretched out her body as she felt the sunshine on her face from the window. She sat up slowly and looked down at the crumpled heap of sheets on the inflatable mattress at the foot of the bed. She’d insisted on taking the mattress, she was a lot smaller than Jeff and the mattress was a lot smaller than the bed, but Jeff hadn’t accepted any of it, opting to take the mattress because ‘the lead detective needs the most sleep.’   
It was strange how her impression of Jeff continued to change so rapidly. She’d idolised him when she’d studied his cases, she’d been disappointed and irritated by him when they’d met only two days ago, and yesterday he’d managed to be the perfect gentleman at multiple points, letting her take the lead and even making her blush a few times. He was more complicated than she’d originally assumed.   
Her impression of him changed once more, however, when Jeff emerged from the bathroom, a towel hung loosely around his waist and a few droplets of water sliding down his glistening abs. His arms were so large even when he wasn’t flexing, and he looked so much older than any naked man she’d ever seen – and she really liked it.   
Of course, Annie had found Jeff attractive when she’d first heard of him in her training but seeing him in the flesh – so much flesh – was a whole other ball game. He looked like he could carry her with one arm, like he could pin her down with ease –   
Annie needed to halt those thoughts right now. He was her senior detective, her colleague, somewhat her boss. He was much older than her, which didn’t really bother her, but she knew he wouldn’t look at her with any sort of attraction, she would be a naïve officer to him.   
She was also very aware that her pyjamas were nothing more than silk pants and a thin long sleeve Henley, that was white and so worn the outline of her nipples could be seen in bright enough light. She’d assumed, like Jeff, that they’d have their own rooms, or at least a room big enough to have their own space, so she’d thought there wouldn’t be a whole lot of seeing each other in pyjamas, or just a towel.   
“Shit, sorry, I thought you’d still be asleep,” Jeff stammered, marching over to his bag and quickly grabbing his shirt, pulling it on over his head with one hand. Annie couldn’t help but watch the muscles in his back move as he did it, quickly looking to her lap when Jeff spun around.   
“It’s fine, I won’t look,” She promised. She sensed Jeff’s hesitation, then heard the towel fall and him shuffle into clothes.   
“Alright, I’m good,” he said. Annie slowly looked up and saw the man now in jeans. Annie bit her bottom lip and frantically tried to come up with a conversation to get them away from this awkwardness.   
“How was your sleep?” She asked, her voice cracking a little, but she quickly tried to cover it with a cough.   
“Uh yeah, fine, as fine as it could be on a slowly deflating mattress,” he chuckled with a shrug. Annie’s eyebrows knitted together, and her eyes widened a bit.   
“Let me take the mattress tonight,” She offered.   
“No, it’s fine, I’ll get used to it, don’t worry,” he promised. “Now, hop up, we gotta go out to forensics this morning remember?”   
Annie looked at him for a moment longer before nodding slowly. She slid out of bed, feeling his eyes on her as she went to the bathroom, making sure to bring in all her clothes with her. She let out a breath as soon as the bathroom door was shut behind her, and she thought she heard Jeff do the same. 

Unlike the car ride into Greendale the day before, the car ride to forensics was short and silent. Jeff tried to think of things he could possibly say, but all his conversation topics went something along the lines of:   
I saw you checking me out, did you like what you saw?   
You looked so cute in your pyjamas that I could totally see through.  
How weird is it that you entered my life two days ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about you since?   
Jeff could admit that each conversation topic slowly got crazier as they progressed, and he didn’t know how this happened. Jeff never got hooked on girls. He’d been in only two long term relationships in his life, and both of those ended in a matter of months. His usual plan of attack was to share a bed with someone and be gone very briskly the next morning, but it’s not like he could do that with a colleague. Annie was a colleague. He’d have to see her everyday – not to mention he was a lot older than her. She probably didn’t see him in that way, the answer to his conversation topics probably went something along the lines of:   
No, you’re old, why would I like what I saw?   
Creep, stop looking at me like that, I’m just in my pyjamas.   
I literally haven’t thought of you other than the fact that you’re my cranky old boss who is apparently now also a pervert.   
Great. Jeff couldn’t help but be relieved when they pulled up to the forensics lab, at least it would give Jeff something else to think about and give him something to discuss with Annie.   
“Forensics is the worst,” Annie sighed as they walked up to the building. Jeff raised an eyebrow.   
“Why?” he asked.   
“I don’t know, the people who work in these departments are always so weird, they always talk to you like you’re too dumb to understand anything in their field,” Annie shrugged. Jeff frowned, thinking back over his many interactions with forensic analysts. They came inside the building and pressed the button on the elevator to go up to the floor Abed had written down on a piece of paper for them yesterday afternoon.   
“I’ve never had that issue,” He admitted. Annie looked up at him as they stepped inside the elevator. Jeff looked back down at her and suddenly only now noticed something new about her. “Wow you’re really small,” He commented. Annie seemed to pout a little, looking down at herself then all the way back up taller Jeff.   
“I’m not wearing heels today,” She muttered indignantly. “Besides, you’re not that tall,” She huffed, crossing her arms. Jeff smirked, seeing how this got to her. He slid behind her with a chuckle, putting his hands on her biceps to hold her there as he rested his chin on the top of her head.   
“Look, we’re a totem pole,” he teased.   
“Stop it!” Annie laughed a little, turning in his arms to bat him away, her breath hitching when she seemed to realise how close they were now that they were facing each other. Jeff swallowed and he caught Annie’s eyes watching the motion of his Adam’s apple.   
They were brought apart from the ding of the elevator arriving on the third floor. Annie took a step back, tucking her hair behind her ear.   
“This is our floor,” Jeff croaked.   
“Oh,” Annie said breathlessly, and lead the way out. They were in a long hallway filled with numbered doors, large glass windows bordering either side of them showing the lab work being done inside. They reached door number 45, which Abed had also written down on the paper, and knocked. They watched through the window as the forensic analyst looked up and waved at them. He put his tools down and walked over to the door.   
“Hi, Officer Abed said you’d be coming,” He smiled, standing back to let them in. “I’m Doctor Ashford, you’re after evidence from the Hawthorne case,” he said.   
Annie nodded. “Yes, have you found anything?” She asked.   
Doctor Ashford went back over to his desk where he was inspecting something on a dish under a microscope. “As with the other murders by this person, he’s very good at covering his tracks,” he sighed. “However, he did leave a couple of clues this time,” he pointed to the item on the dish, and if he hadn’t, Jeff wouldn’t have known anything was on there because it looked empty.   
“What is it?” Jeff asked, trying to see what was there.   
“A very tiny speck of dirt or grime, found it on the victim’s shirt,” Doctor Ashford explained. “It’s not a lot to go on, it’s so small we can’t really tell conclusively what kind of dirt or grime it is, and there’s every chance the victim had it on his shirt before he died,” he sighed.   
“Is that all you’ve got?” Annie asked, disappointment clear on her face.   
“No, our second piece of evidence is a lot better,” Doctor Ashford nodded, walking over to his desk. He picked up a folder of papers. “There was a fading footprint in the hallway, left over from the rain that night, from that we’ve worked out the killer is most likely a male, with a size eleven shoe,” He handed the file to Jeff. Annie walked closer and looked over at the photo. It was barely there, but there was a faint outline of a shoe print. Jeff pursed his lips. This guy really knew what he was doing, to only have left a footprint and a barely identifiable piece of dirt, which may not have even come from him.   
“Why do you think the dirt is a clue at all?” Annie seemed to voice Jeff’s thoughts, looking at Doctor Ashford.   
“I think it’s come off the killer’s weapon, the shirt was otherwise clean, I had my assistant check to make sure, and the dirt was on his collar, an unlikely place for dirt to be,” Doctor Ashford explained. “The victims have been dying from blunt force trauma,” He added, before looking directly to Annie, “that means –“   
“I know what blunt force trauma means,” Annie interrupted, forcing a smile. Jeff wondered when he’d started cataloguing Annie’s smiles to the point when he could identify when she was forcing one.   
Doctor Ashford cleared his throat, taking the file back from Jeff. “Sorry I can’t be of more help,” He said shortly.   
“Mmm,” Jeff hummed noncommittally, looking the guy up and down. He couldn’t believe he thought he’d have to explain blunt force trauma to Annie, she was a police officer for gods sakes.   
“I’ll contact Abed if I figure anything else out,” Doctor Ashford nodded, looking at the door. It would seem they were being asked to leave. Good, Jeff didn’t want another moment with this asshole.   
He and Annie made their way out of the lab, Jeff making sure to shut the door slightly more firmly than necessary.   
“What an asshole, I can’t believe he was going to explain that to you,” Jeff sighed as they walked to the elevator. Annie rolled her eyes.   
“Told you, happens all the time,” She sighed. Before Jeff could say anything else on that, she turned to him with her hands on her hips while they waited for the elevator to arrive. “So if we know it’s a man that rules out Britta as a suspect,” She murmured.   
“I don’t know, I’ve seen perps wear misleading clothing thinking they can get away with it, probably best if we still make sure her alibi checks out,” Jeff pointed out.   
“Yeah, of course, you’re right,” Annie nodded with a sigh as the elevator doors slid open. Jeff frowned as they walked inside. There was three people already inside, so Jeff stepped a little closer to her and lowered his voice.   
“Annie it’s okay, you don’t have to be on top of everything to do on this case, that’s the reason I’m here, so you can keep learning from someone with a bit of experience,” He pointed out. Annie looked up at him, her eyes doing that thing again where they went impossibly wide.   
“I know what I’m doing,” She said firmly.   
“I know that,” He replied just as firmly.   
“I want us to go and talk to the family members nearby of all the victims, then go to the Inn tonight to check Britta’s alibi,” She decided. The elevator doors slid open and the other people stepped out. Jeff held up an arm to gesture outside.   
“Lead the way milady,” He smiled down at her. Annie looked up at him and a small smile crept onto her face too.   
“Thank you, milord,” She hummed, walking out of the elevator back towards the car. Jeff watched her go, his smile not leaving his face until he climbed into the driver’s seat. 

Jeff collapsed back onto the hotel bed as they came into the room with a large sigh. When Jeff’s least favourite thing to do was talk to people, going around interviewing people one after the other was exhausting. To her credit, Annie didn’t look nearly as disgruntled as Jeff did, and she was a lot more peppy than him in any case, but her lips were starting to droop at the corners and her eyes seemed heavy as she muffled a yawn behind her hand.   
“So no stand out connections between all the victims that their families can tell us, and Britta’s alibi checks out,” She sighed, sitting next to him on the edge of the bed. There wasn’t even a couch in here, so sitting on the bed together would have to do. Alas, their awkwardness from that morning seemed like a distant memory now.   
“Yep,” Jeff mumbled, popping the P and rubbing his face. “I need a drink,” he added, standing up and walking over to the mini bar fridge. “God this thing is stocked,” Jeff chuckled.   
“That makes sense if Shirley is expecting a lot of people to drink on Friday,” Annie pointed out.   
“So clever, it’s clear now why you became a detective,” Jeff teased wryly.   
“Shut up,” Annie chuckled, holding out her hand. “Vodka and juice please,” She asked. Jeff raised an eyebrow, unaware that Annie was going to join him in his drinking escapades. He’d figured she was a curl up in bed with a book at the end of a long day, but perhaps today had tested even Annie’s resolve.   
“One half assed Appletini coming right up,” Jeff hummed, grabbing them glasses and pouring her a vodka and juice mixed drink, and straight Scotch for himself. He brought the glasses over, sitting back down beside her.   
“Cheers,” She smiled, holding up her glass.   
“To what?” Jeff asked with a chuckle, “We have no leads-“   
“Shhh, just cheers,” Annie insisted, clinking her glass against Jeff’s anyway and then swallowing the drink down all in one gulp. She got up and walked over to the bar fridge again, making herself another drink then deciding to just bring the vodka and apple juice over to the bed so she could keep making herself some.   
“Big night hey?” Jeff asked, halfway through his own Scotch.   
“Need to take the edge off,” Annie sighed, sipping her drink.   
“We’ll figure it out Annie,” Jeff promised, seeing the stress present in the creases of her forehead, and her slightly too tight grip on her glass. Annie looked back at him then finished her drink again with another large gulp.   
“You’re falling behind Winger,” She smirked as she poured herself a refill. Never one to turn down a challenge, Jeff finished off his own drink and began to pour himself more.   
Six drinks in and Jeff was still holding fairly steady, if not a little hazy. The same could not be said for Annie, who Jeff could guess was drunk at this point, complaining about how she was a lightweight and keeping up with Jeff was always bound to get her drunk. Jab to his alcoholism aside, Jeff couldn’t help but chuckle at how Annie was talking slightly louder, with a pink face to match her slurred words.  
“You must think I’m an idiot,” Annie groaned, looking at Jeff who was still sitting next to her on the bed.   
“Why would I think that?” Jeff frowned, sipping his drink.   
“Well I had to get blunt force trauma explained to me today so-“   
“That guy was an idiot, not you,” Jeff interrupted, shaking his head.   
Annie chuckled half heartedly, taking a deep breath at the end. “You get used to that, being a young woman on the force,” She mumbled. “Especially one who looks like they belong in a Disney movie,” she joked wryly, eyes unfocused as she swilled her drink around in the glass.   
Jeff watched the movement of the liquor as well, hearing the frustration in Annie’s tone despite her slurred words.   
“I’m sorry, you don’t deserve that, you’re a great detective, you’ve got more ambition than I’ve seen on newbies in years,” He promised, finishing his drink. Annie looked at him, her gaze intense.   
“That’s why I was so tough on you, our first meeting,” Annie hummed, sipping her own drink. She swallowed thickly then looked away from Jeff’s eyes. “You struck a nerve. I’ve had to deal with everyone underestimating-ting me, I’ve had to become tough,” She shrugged.   
“I deserved it, I was being condescending,” Jeff slowly admitted, the alcohol encouraging him to do so.   
“Yeah you were,” Annie agreed and they both laughed a little. Jeff watched as her fingers fumbled with the edge of her pencil skirt. “I used to wear really pretty dresses, with prints and patterns, and these really bright cardigans,” She chuckled. “Can’t wear that anymore because no one ever takes me seriously,” she sighed.   
Jeff swallowed. He could tell this was tough for Annie to talk about, perhaps particularly with her senior detective. The Scotch in his belly prodded him to tell a personal story too, curling up into his chest until the words spilled from his mouth.   
“I messed up on the biggest case of my career,” Jeff sighed. Annie looked up at him, their eyes meeting. She scooted a little closer, sipping her drink, she was swaying slightly but Jeff could tell she was listening. “Mass murderer, adults, school kids, old people, you name it, this guy had it out for everyone,” He explained. “I was at the top of my career, had become a cocky, arrogant bastard-“   
“Not you, never,” Annie interrupted sarcastically with a little smirk. They both chuckled. Jeff took another sip of his drink, hoping it would help him get through the rest.   
“I didn’t take myself seriously, I thought I could figure it out without having to put the effort in. I sent all these rookie detectives to do the dirty work so I could schmooze high ranking constables and captains, brag about being the head of a case without having to actually do any work,” He continued. “And one night, when I was having wine with those constables and captains, three of my rookies got shot,” He said. Annie bit her bottom lip, her eyes widening. “They survived, thank god, but two of them quit the force, had to go through extreme trauma counselling, and the other is now in a wheelchair,” He sighed, “And that murderer killed himself a week later.”   
It was silent for a moment as Annie seemed to register the story.   
“It wasn’t your fault,” She whispered.   
“I sent those rookies out there with minimal direction, all so I could kiss ass,” Jeff pointed out.   
“When they signed onto be cops they knew the risks,” Annie explained.   
“They also knew their lead detective should have his head on straight and not send them running into harms way,” Jeff sighed. “Really, Annie, you don’t have to make me feel better about it, I made my peace with it, I don’t do big cases anymore, I just get old and dusty in my office.”   
“You’re not that dusty,” Annie smiled softly. Jeff looked into her eyes and smiled softly back.   
Jeff didn’t realise they were kissing until Annie’s hand came up to rest on his bicep, her mouth parted and she let out the softest, most angelic whimper he’d ever heard.   
He wasn’t sure who initiated it, they were both alcohol ridden enough that it could have been either of them. Jeff was also going to keep letting the alcohol convince him to keep kissing her.   
Because god did it feel good.   
Annie felt so small in his hands that were now resting on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. Her lips moved exactly the way he wanted them to, they were so soft and the noises she made were even softer, it felt like a sacred treasure to hear them at all.   
Her hands slowly moved from his biceps to his chest, taking their time to stroke over his pecs. He shivered a little when her fingers brushed over his nipples through his shirt, and his own hands slid round to grip her hips. She was now straddling his lap to the best of her ability while wearing a pencil skirt.   
“Jeff,” Annie breathed against his lips, her small fingers finding the button beneath his collar.   
“Annie,” Jeff breathed back, squeezing her hips. She used her knees to squeeze either side of his legs and Jeff took that as a hint. He rolled them so Annie was laying down beneath him, her head flush against the pillow, their mouths still connected.   
Except their lips were moving more furiously now, Annie’s hands moving up to make fists in the ends of his hair. Jeff stroked over her side, one hand sliding far enough down to stroke her thigh. He finally detached his mouth from her lips then moved them down her jaw, along her neck, mouthing at the skin as he unbuttoned the top of her shirt. She smelled like vanilla.   
Suddenly, Annie’s hands loosened from his hair and fell to his shoulders instead. Jeff pulled back to look at her and couldn’t help but chortle when he saw her eyes shut and her breath evening out. Of course, Annie would pass out after six drinks, she was a self-confessed lightweight, not even the adrenaline of a hook up could keep her up.   
Jeff himself felt hazy and dizzy, perhaps his own drinks were catching up with him. He rolled and collapsed beside Annie, who kept her arms around him and nuzzled her face into his chest.   
Jeff smiled drunkenly despite how much he knew this would be a problem in the morning. But that was morning Jeff’s problem, for now, he was going to enjoy a Scotch induced sleep and the company of Annie Edison.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt bad that the update for the last one was so long ago, so I'm bringing this one in quicker haha. I've pretty much finished the fic now, I know it's six chapters and I've just got to edit, so updates will not be so spread out. Thanks again for the love on this fic, hope you enjoy this chapter.

This was indeed morning Jeff’s problem, especially, Jeff realised with a gasp, that he’d awoken with a very untimely stiffy.   
The room was warm. They’d forgotten to open the window in their eagerness to drink the night before, and the sun was shining right in. Even though it wasn’t a particularly warm time of year, the small room had gotten stuffy very easily.   
Annie was still asleep against Jeff’s chest, her small hand fisting his shirt as if he would run away. Which yes, he wanted to do so that Annie wouldn’t wake up and feel his half hard erection rubbing against her thigh.   
It had been a while since he’d woken up next to a woman, okay? He couldn’t blame himself too harshly, usually he left after sex, very rarely did he stick around until morning. His dick had obviously gotten excited at the prospect of morning sex, which Jeff definitely would not allow to happen.   
Although it was becoming increasingly more difficult to calm down and will it away when there was a slight sheen of sweat on Annie’s chest that was now revealed from when he’d unbuttoned her shirt the night before. Christ, how were they ever going to return to a normal, professional relationship now? He was going to be fired. Annie was going to be disgusted. What if she reported him for sexual harassment?   
And yet, he could remember how she’d responded. How she’d been just as interested before she’d passed out from the alcohol. So maybe she didn’t find him old and creepy, maybe she was genuinely interested in him. Jeff wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing, considering he knew nothing could ever happen between them.   
Did Jeff even want that? He’d met this woman only a few days ago, and he wasn’t the type to get attached so quickly and easily, but somehow Annie had burrowed his way into his mind and his heart and she was holding on for dear life.   
Jeff needed to make it stop.   
Rather abruptly, he sat up and gently, but firmly, shrugged Annie off. He grabbed any random clothes from his suitcase and then marched into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He didn’t stop to check if he’d woken her up, his only mission was to get rid of this stiffy, and with it, get rid of his feelings for Annie, whatever they were.   
After a shower where he dealt with one half of his problem, he felt a lot clearer headed. Last night was just a result of alcohol and relieving of stress. Annie was probably going to agree with him that it shouldn’t have happened, and everything would go back to professionalism, bordering on a colleague based friendship.   
He pulled on his clothes, relieved they at least looked good together; spent a little longer on his hair than he wanted to admit; brushed his teeth thoroughly and then left the bathroom to face the music. Annie was sitting up now with her back to him. Her bare back. Evidently, she was trying to quickly and quietly change into her clothes while Jeff was in the bathroom. Jeff quickly shut the bathroom door again and cursed under his breath. Seriously, how did this kind of crap keep happening? Maybe Abed was right and they were living out some trope-ridden fan fiction reality. The clarity he’d gained all but moments ago suddenly felt like a distant memory, as images of Annie’s bare back flashed behind his eyelids every time he blinked.   
He gave her a solid ten minutes to get dressed, and when he could hear her moving about the kitchenette making what sounded like a cup of coffee, he took three deep breaths and attempted to leave the bathroom again.   
Annie was in fresh clothes, thankfully, and was indeed making coffee. She turned to look at him over her shoulder and that’s when Jeff knew for certain that he was well and truly screwed. Not the drunken make out session or his witnessing of her bare skin could prove what her gaze did. Her big blue eyes that looked at him so intensely, like she understood everything about him in a way nobody else did.   
Which only made it worse because he knew his realisation didn’t change the fact that this was wrong.   
“Morning,” Annie breathed, her face a little flush from obvious embarrassment. The room had cooled down considerably and Jeff realised she’d cracked the window.   
“Hey,” Jeff replied, swallowing.   
“I made you coffee,” Annie walked over to him, holding the coffee cup out for him. Their fingers brushed as she handed him the mug and Jeff wondered absently if she’d done that on purpose.   
They both sipped their mugs at the same time, the silence louder than anything Jeff had ever heard.   
“Annie-“ He began, knowing it would have to be him that defined all of this.   
“I’m so sorry I was so lame,” Annie interrupted, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked up at him. Confusion wrinkled his brow.   
“Lame?” He asked.   
“Yeah I… Passed out, just as it was getting good,” She chuckled awkwardly, looking back to her mug and taking another sip.  
Getting good? So she’d definitely enjoyed last night then. And Jeff was going to have to ruin all of it.   
“Don’t worry about it, probably for the best,” Jeff nodded. Annie looked back up at him, only this time her gaze was sharp, and yet soft enough to show the hurt beginning to peak through.   
“Oh you… regret it?” She asked. Jeff didn’t know how to respond to that. No, he didn’t, he wanted to pick Annie up off her feet, carry her to bed and continue right where they left off. He wanted to see her stroll around in this tiny hotel room in nothing but his shirt. He wanted to kiss down her bare back and know it like the back of his hand. He wanted everything so suddenly and so passionately it felt like flames in his chest that he desperately wanted to snuff out.   
“It can’t happen again,” Jeff answered instead. “It was inappropriate, I’m very sorry it happened, I should know better.”   
Annie continued to look up at him, licking her lips as she clearly tried to form her thoughts into words. “You know it’s not against the rules for us to… see each other, right? Sure, probably frowned upon and I probably couldn’t work another case with you but-“ She began and Jeff didn’t want Annie to keep adding fuel to that fire in his chest. He let words tumble out before he could even think of if they were okay, desperate to not let himself hope for what Annie was insinuating.   
“Annie it was just a drunken mistake, not us starting to ‘see’ each other, you’re too young-” Jeff cut himself off.   
Annie’s lips parted and Jeff could see the shock and hurt register across her face. As soon as those last words were out of his mouth he knew he’d said the wrong thing. Letting her down gently was one thing, trying to maintain a professional relationship was one thing; using her biggest insecurity to push her away was the worst thing he could have done.   
“Too young for you? Too young to be a serious prospect? Too young to know the difference between a bit of fun and something more?” She breathed. Jeff remained silent. “Got it.”  
Before Jeff could correct her, because the heartbroken look on her face was destroying him worse than the fire had been, the in-room phone rang. Annie didn’t hesitate to storm past him, picking it up.   
“Yeah?” She answered sharply, though Jeff could hear her voice crack. He’d ruined everything. “Okay, we’ll be right down,” She added after a moment then hung up. Jeff watched as her hands came up to wipe her face quickly. “Abed and Troy are down at the inn, waiting for our update,” She explained, walking to the mini sink and pouring her coffee down the drain, before grabbing her bag. “Meet you down there Detective Winger,” she sighed, walking out of the room and slamming the door behind her.   
Jeff didn’t know what felt worse, that the loud silence was back, or that he’d never hated hearing his title until he’d heard it said like that. 

Annie didn’t let the real tears fall until she was in the stairwell. She refused to sob for this man, this man who she’d thought was so sweet underneath all that bitterness, but no, there was just more bitterness. So she let a few tears fall, tears that symbolised her embarrassment, her frustration and her sadness that she’d been stupid enough to think maybe Jeff had started to like her as more than a colleague, or a friend. The feelings had hit her fast, she knew that. But what else was new? Annie had fallen for guys within a few hours, never mind a few days which involved a road trip and sleeping in the same room together.   
The part that hurt the most was that she’d told Jeff, albeit somewhat drunkenly, that she’d worked so hard to be taken seriously in the face of those underestimating her because of her age. Jeff knew it was something she was insecure about, something that had held her back and she’d had to fight against, and he’d thrown that back in her face. He had every right not to want to be with her because he didn’t feel a spark, didn’t feel a connection, hell if he just didn’t want to be in a relationship – but to use the age as an excuse was so disappointing Annie almost got angry that he hadn’t thought of something more creative.   
Because she knew Jeff felt something for her too. Even if his feelings hadn’t developed as fast as hers had, she could tell from the way his gaze lingered sometimes, from the way he’d kissed her the night before. She knew he hadn’t been as drunk as she had been, he couldn’t use the alcohol as an excuse for kissing her. It didn’t matter now though, if he wanted to deny his feelings that was his problem, and his loss.   
After standing on the stairwell for only two minutes, she wiped her face and took a few deep breaths. She didn’t want Jeff to come out and see her crying over him. This was just a momentary crush, nothing more. She’d get over him, very easily, she decided. He was old, cranky and arrogant, nothing Annie wanted in a partner – she tried to tell herself that anyway.   
She emerged from the staircase fresh faced, coming downstairs to find Abed and Troy sitting at the closed bar. Troy was talking animatedly with Britta, and they were holding hands atop the bar. It was enough to make Annie’s insides curl, she didn’t need cute lovey dovey things shoved in her face right now, but she knew that wasn’t fair. How were they to know her heart had been pulled out of her mere minutes ago?   
“Detective Edison,” Abed greeted with a clipped tone.   
“Oh please, call me Annie,” Annie smiled politely, taking a seat beside him.   
“Annie Edison,” Abed nodded, looking down at his flimsy little notepad. “Where’s Detective Winger?” He asked. Annie swallowed thickly.   
“On his way,” She nodded. “Probably staring in a mirror too long or something,” She shrugged. Abed looked at her for a moment.   
“So you had the whole drunken kiss thing and now he’s denying his feelings right?” He asked. Annie frowned at the man, how did he know that kind of stuff? “It’s just the natural way your story would go,” Abed added, sensing Annie’s confusion. “Try not to take it too harshly, I’m sure he’s just denying his feelings because they scare him, and I’ll bet soon he’ll realise he made a mistake and he’ll want you and there will be a dramatic kiss when you solve this case,” he barrelled on as if all of this made sense.   
“Uh…” Annie tried to form words, but none were coming to mind.   
“I’ll have a scotch thanks,” Jeff’s voice was suddenly behind her and he was leaning over the bar, talking to Britta.   
“Bit early isn’t it? We're closed,” Britta huffed, raising an eyebrow at him.   
“Do you want me to save your town from a murderer or not?” Jeff sighed, rubbing his eyes. Britta shared a look with Troy, then set about grabbing Jeff a drink. Annie pointedly avoided his gaze and looked at Abed and Troy instead.   
“What did you find out at forensics?” Troy asked, looking at Jeff first. Jeff gestured to Annie to fill them in. Annie wasn’t sure if it was to try and suck up to her, or just because he didn’t feel like talking.   
“They uncovered a faint footprint and think the killer is a male with a size eleven shoe, and they also found some sort of dirt or grime on the victim’s collar, they think it could have possibly fallen off the killer’s hands but it’s a pretty weak piece of evidence,” Annie sighed.   
“It’s almost nothing to go off is what it is,” Jeff grumbled, sipping at his scotch. Annie rolled her eyes.   
“It determines that our killer is male and perhaps works with his hands a lot,” She pointed out, looking between Troy and Abed. “Anyone come to mind?” She asked.   
The two men looked at each other and then began murmuring incoherently between each other. Annie finally met Jeff’s eyes, who looked just as confused as her, as the murmuring didn’t seem to be actual words. Jeff cracked a small, amused smile at her, but Annie looked down at her phone without returning the expression. Finally, Troy and Abed broke apart.   
“There’s a lot of people it could be, so we’ll go around interviewing the town, but you two could go talk to some prime suspects,” Abed suggested.   
“Craig Pelton, he’s the Dean at the local community college,” Troy explained.   
“Why would he have dirt on him?” Annie asked.   
“He also does a lot of drag, does some shows here at the bar sometimes, maybe the dirt was some make up powder or something,” Troy suggested. Jeff scoffed behind him, but Annie ignored him.   
“You could also try Doctor Rich Stephenson, he does a lot of volunteer work cleaning up the river, he’d have a lot of dirt on him,” Troy continued. Annie nodded and noted their addresses into her phone once Abed told them to her. The two policemen left to go and interview other town members and Annie finally looked over at Jeff, who had just finished his scotch.   
“Shall we go talk to Pelton and Stephenson then?” She suggested with a sigh. Jeff nodded slowly.   
“It’s going to be a dead-end Annie,” He pointed out. “We’re talking to a school teacher who does drag, forensics would have been able to tell if that grime was make up, and a doctor who does volunteer work, they don’t seem like killers to me,” he sighed. Annie shrugged, fire burning in her belly just from looking at Jeff. It really wasn’t fair how gorgeous he was, and how desperate she was to prove herself to him, and how silly he could make her feel.   
“Yeah well, you made yourself seem like a good kisser, things don’t always work out to be what they seem,” Annie remarked with a smirk, before shouldering her bag and walking outside to the car. She didn’t turn to look back at Jeff’s reaction to her sass, didn’t even feel guilty about telling that lie – Jeff was an amazing kisser – but that had been what she’d needed, maybe now she could move on.  
They were making a habit out of silent, awkward car rides. Jeff drove with his hands tight around the wheel, Annie noticed his knuckles almost going white. It annoyed her that she also noticed the way his biceps bulged, and his jaw became sharper under the tension. It would be a whole lot easier to be mad at him if he wasn’t so good looking, and if him being angry didn’t turn her on a little bit.   
The car ride was only ten minutes, but it felt like ten hours as they pulled up at the Greendale Community College. Annie climbed out of the car and Jeff soon followed.   
“Annie wait,” Jeff sighed, grabbing her upper arm and pulling her to a stop. Annie looked up at him, her bottom lip automatically sticking out in a pout. “I can’t keep working with you today with us acting like this,” he admitted. Annie swallowed thickly.   
“Sounds like a you problem,” She mumbled, absently kicking a rock near her foot, shrugging out of his grip. Jeff tilted his head with a raised eyebrow.   
“You’re getting cheeky, you know that?” He said, smirking a little. Annie sighed, looking away from him.   
“Stop trying to smooth talk this, you can’t kiss me, be an ass, then expect a smooth line and a smirk to make it go away,” She mumbled, crossing her arms.   
“I’m not trying to make it go away, I just…” He trailed off, looking away from her then back to her, catching her eyes. “I’m trying to apologize, if you haven’t noticed I’m not very good at it,” he added. Annie continued to look at him, biting her bottom lip now. She didn’t know if she would accept Jeff’s apology, but she also knew they needed to at least get along to be able to get through this case.   
“I’m sorry for what I said, I didn’t mean it,” he began. “I…I meant what I said about us not…taking things further, but it’s not because of your age, really, you’re the most mature adult I’ve ever kissed,” He promised with a small laugh and Annie couldn’t help but chuckle too. “It just slipped out, I was panicking, but-“   
“Jeff it’s fine,” Annie finally decided to put him out of his misery. “Drunken mistake, won’t happen again, it’s resolved, I want us to be able to get along and solve this too,” she agreed. And she did, while she was still mad at him, she didn’t want stupid feelings to get in the way of her solving this case and proving she could do this. If anything, if she kept acting too emotional Jeff might think she wasn’t ready, so at the very least she needed to put on a brave face.   
She almost melted though when his smile grew, beaming down at her.   
“What?” She asked.   
“You called me Jeff again,” He shrugged. “Didn’t like Detective Winger,” he admitted. Annie smiled a little.   
“Don’t let it go to your head, now c’mon, we’ve got a drag queen Dean to talk to,” She chuckled, turning back around and beginning to walk up to the community college front doors. 

The two walked through the halls, looking into classrooms trying to find Dean Craig Pelton. Finally they came across a student called Garret who kindly, and loudly, led them to his office.   
“Dean, there’s detectives here to see you,” Garret announced before stumbling off.   
“Oh, men in uniforms, I usually get them ordered to my house-oh!” The man, who Annie assumed was Craig Pelton, began before cutting himself off when he looked at the two of them. “You’re actual detectives,” he raised an eyebrow.   
The man was dressed in a knee length cocktail dress with frills that reached the floor, sparkling purple heels underneath and a large feathered head piece atop his bald head.   
“Excuse my attire, I was just trying on outfits for the dance at Shirley’s Sandwiches,” the Dean explained, though his eyes seemed to focus only on Jeff. “Do you have a date to that, Mister…?”   
“I’m Detective Winger and this is Detective Edison,” Jeff introduced them, with a slightly confused tone, and when Annie looked at him he did look flummoxed. “And uh no, I don’t think I’ll even be there,” He answered the question.   
“Such a shame,” the Dean mused. He looked between the two. “What can I help you two with?” He asked.   
“We’re here to ask about your whereabouts last Thursday evening,” Annie spoke up, deciding to get the man’s attention since he clearly wasn’t going to focus on what Jeff would say.   
“Am I a suspect? Do I need to come down to the station? I have handcuffs if that’s necessary,” The Dean replied, continuing to gaze at Jeff. It took everything in Annie not to burst out laughing.   
“We don’t need to do all that, just need to know what you were doing last Thursday night,” Annie promised, biting back a chuckle. When she looked over at Jeff he was glaring at her, silently telling her off for making fun of him.   
The Dean seemed to consider this for a moment, finally making eye contact with Annie. “Well, I believe I was doing a late night show at the Inn,” He nodded. “Yeah, Thursday night is student night,” he grinned.   
“So all of your college students get to see you in drag on a Thursday night?” Jeff asked with a raised eyebrow.   
“Oh that’s not limited to Thursday nights,” The Dean shook his head, gesturing to his clothes.   
“How long were you there for?” Annie asked, taking notes on her phone.   
“Until closing, probably about three am,” The Dean answered. “Is this about Pierce Hawthorne’s murder?”   
“Did you see him that night?” Jeff asked, crossing his arms.   
“Briefly, I saw Britta walk him outside around midnight, but that was it,” The Dean shrugged.   
“So someone can attest you were at the Inn until three am?” Annie double checked.   
“Yes, I collected my pay from Shirley before I left, and I’m sure you’ll be able to see the security footage of me arriving at my building by three thirty,” The Dean assured. Annie sighed, she didn’t even feel the need to check if he was telling the truth, her intuition was telling her this wasn’t their guy, and Jeff had been right, forensics would have been able to identify make up.   
“Thank you for answering our questions, we’ll be off,” Annie nodded, pocketing her phone and turning to Jeff, who was already halfway out of the room.   
“Oh Detective Winger, don’t be a stranger!” He called out, and Annie shut the office door behind her, making eye contact with Jeff before bursting out laughing.   
“Seems you’re getting all the attention on this trip,” She giggled, feeling a lot more at ease now. Something about seeing Jeff squirm had eased her anger with him.   
“Lucky me,” Jeff muttered sarcastically. “Guess I’m just so perfect, I can’t help but attract everyone,” Jeff added, poking her side. Annie giggled, following him back out to the car. They climbed in, and only then did Annie let out a sigh of dismay.   
“He’s not our guy,” She mumbled, looking back over her notes. Jeff shook his head.   
“Didn’t think he would be,” he muttered. A twinge of annoyance made Annie’s hand twitch. Why did Jeff have to shove in her face that he was right?   
“Lets check out Doctor Stephenson, maybe he’ll be more promising,” She nodded, plugging the address into the Sat Nav. 

"Well he certainly lives in the right area," Jeff said as they pulled up out the front of Doctor Stephenson's house. The house was only two streets away from Pierce's mansion, and while it wasn't a mansion itself, it was certainly big and beautiful with floor to ceiling windows and large oak doors.   
"Should have been a doctor," Annie sighed wistfully, thinking of her own crummy flat in Denver that she could barely afford as is. They climbed out of the car and Annie lead the way up to the door, knocking twice.   
Within moments, a very handsome man answered the door, smiling at the two before the door was even all the way open. "Well hi there," he greeted.   
"Doctor Stephenson?" Annie asked, smiling back at him.   
"Oh you can call me Rich," Rich grinned, looking directly at Annie. It made her stomach swirl, and she couldn't help but reach up and fiddle with her hair a little. "What can I call you?" He asked.   
"I'm Detective Winger and this is Detective Edison," Jeff's gruff voice broke Annie out of her reverie and she looked over at him. His jaw was tight again, and he seemed to be standing taller.   
"You can call me Annie," Annie turned back to Rich.   
"Pleasure to meet you Annie, Detective Winger, please, come on in, I just finished making a fresh batch of banana muffins," He invited, stepping aside to let them through. Annie suddenly felt the light press of Jeff's hand on the small of her back as he ushered them both straight past Rich and into his living room. Rich shut the door behind them and went to the kitchen.   
"You shouldn't give suspects your first name," Jeff hissed at her under his breath. Annie frowned.   
"Why does it matter? It's just a name," Annie murmured back.   
"It's too friendly," He replied, staring down at her. Annie rolled her eyes but smiled brightly as Rich came back into the room.   
"Fresh and yummy," He smiled, putting the plate of banana muffins down on the table. "So what can I do you for?"   
"Doctor Stephenson-" Annie began.   
"Annie, it's Rich," he interrupted, touching her shoulder lightly. Annie became flustered under his touch and giggled a little. She couldn't help it, she wasn't used to this sort of attention.   
"Rich, have you ever met Pierce Hawthorne?" She asked. Rich seemed to think for a moment.   
"I know of him, it's hard not to know about Pierce, I think I've spoken to him in passing, but nothing substantial comes to mind," He shrugged. "Is this about his death? I heard about that, so tragic," He sighed.   
"Hardly is tragic if you didn't know him," Jeff pointed out. Annie frowned, looking up at him.   
"I'm a doctor, I find all loss of life tragic," Rich explained. He looked to Annie again. "Am I a suspect?" He asked. Annie went to reassure him and ask him follow up questions, but Jeff stepped in front of her, making her scowl.   
"Depends, where were you last Thursday night?" He asked. Rich's eyes flitted up to Jeff, who was only a bit taller than him.   
"Well, I had dinner with Simon at the hospital, he's a little boy I've been treating for cancer,-"   
Annie cut him off by letting out an 'Aw,' and Rich looked to her with a bashful smile. "Least I could do for him," he shrugged, then continued. "Then I came home and had a salt bath, I spend my Thursdays dredging the river, so I use the salts to help any muscle ache, then I went to bed," he finished. "Nothing out of the ordinary," he assured.   
"And so Simon will be able to attest to the dinner?" Jeff grumbled.   
"Oh yeah of course, I'm afraid I was home alone though, so I can't help you with that," He sighed regretfully, looking genuinely remorseful that he couldn't give them a solid alibi.   
"That's okay, we'll double check with Simon," Annie stepped forward, sidling up beside Jeff.   
"If I think of anything I could give you a call?" Rich suggested, looking at Annie. Annie smiled and pulled out some business cards she'd had made up, they came in handy for times like this.   
"Just ring that number," Annie smiled. Rich took it from her then pocketed it.   
"Well, we really should be going," Jeff said suddenly, already turning and walking towards the door. "Trying to save more lives from being lost, I'm sure you understand," He said. Rich nodded. Annie smiled politely at him.   
"Bye Rich," She waved timidly, turning to leave with Jeff.   
"Oh Annie," Rich called, then rushed up to her with a muffin in hand. "Here, enjoy," He nodded. Annie broke into a wide grin, taking the muffin.   
"Thank you," She giggled softly, looking down at the muffin and back at Rich, before turning and following Jeff all the way out. As soon as Rich closed the door Jeff sighed loudly.   
"What a creep, am I right?" Jeff muttered. "The way he wouldn't leave you alone, gross."   
"I didn't mind," Annie hummed. Today had started off with her feeling rejected and unwanted, and now she'd been given a muffin by a very good looking man who actually made it obvious he was interested. Annie picked off a piece of the muffin happily, popping it into her mouth as she climbed into the car.   
"Annie he was manipulating you," Jeff pointed out.   
"I can hold my own, thanks Jeff," Annie sighed.   
"You just shouldn't get too friendly with suspects, it's not a good look," He continued.   
"Jeff, I said I can hold my own," Annie growled, flashing a glare at him. Jeff looked at her and sighed, turning the car on. There was silence for a moment as Annie nibbled at the muffin.   
"He wasn't even that good looking anyway," Jeff spoke up. Annie snorted so hard some of her muffin tumbled out of her mouth.   
"Ohhh so you're jealous?" she smirked.   
"What? Annie, no, don't read into things that aren't there-" Jeff stammered.   
"Oh c'mon Jeff, you've made it clear you don't want me, but you were practically peacocking all over Rich, you wouldn't let him get near me," She spoke over him. "You either want me or you don't, but let me make my own decisions."   
"It's not about...peacocking or anything, it's about being professional with suspects," Jeff explained.   
"I will be professional, he's a suspect, I'm not going to give up anything about the case, but if I have the opportunity to get close to him I will," Annie said firmly. She could tell Jeff wanted to say more but the man lapsed into silence.   
They pulled up at the Inn and Jeff pulled out his phone as they walked in.   
"What are you doing?" Annie asked.   
"Calling the hospital, confirming Rich's alibi," He explained. There was a pause as they took a seat at one of the tables, Jeff waiting to be put through. He got put through to a receptionist and asked to speak to Simon or his caregiver, and Annie watched as Jeff's face softened and his eyes closed.   
"Okay, thanks," He sighed, hanging up. He looked across at Annie, determination in his gaze. "Simon died this morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all know I'm a sucker for jealous Jeff hehe. Let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

Jeff rubbed his face as he walked down to Shirley Sandwiches the next morning. He was exhausted. He and Annie had stayed up all night going through every possible suspect, including the reports Abed and Troy had sent back to them after their day of interviews. Jeff was sure Rich had something to do with it, the guy's alibi wasn't solid and his only witness had died before they could question him. They'd called it a night around 1am, and Jeff figured they'd go to the hospital today to question staff about Rich. Jeff had taken the blow up mattress again, and Annie hadn't argued with him. He figured she was still a little pissed with him, even if they'd somewhat moved on. Everything had been resolved until they'd gotten to Rich and this jealousy Jeff didn't know he had burst out of him. He'd hated seeing the way Rich flirted with Annie and charmed her, and he hated seeing the way she'd giggled and fiddled with her hair. She hadn't done any of that with him before.   
No, because you went straight to bed with her, at least this guy is trying to be nice to her first, his thoughts bounced around his head.   
It was too early for this kind of self reflection. He'd woken up at 8am, unable to get back to sleep, and decided to go down to the sandwich shop for some breakfast and a coffee.   
"Good morning Jeffrey," Shirley chirped when he walked up to the counter. Jeff smiled a small, polite smile back. "What can I get for you?"  
Jeff looked at the menu board, wincing at all the carbs, red meat and three different kinds of cheese. He sighed. "I'll get the Breakfast Bonanza, but without the bacon and without the bread," He decided. Shirley gave him a funny look. "And a coffee, black," He added. Shirley slowly nodded and put the order through, one of her staff getting started on the not-sandwich.   
"Hows the case going?" She asked curiously.   
"It's going," He shrugged. He couldn't give her details about the case, not that there were many details to give.   
"Will you and lovely Annie still be here tonight for the dance?" She asked. Jeff winced again.   
"We'll still be here tonight, don't know if we'd come to this dance though," he said. Shirley frowned.   
"You should come, it'll be a lot of fun, nearly the whole town is coming," she beamed, clearly very proud that so many people were coming - or excited for all the money she was going to make. Jeff swallowed. Annie would definitely enjoy going to a dance, and it would be a good way to observe suspects, and perhaps find new ones.   
"Yeah alright, maybe we'll come," He agreed.   
"Oh yay! That's nice!" She hummed, just as Jeff's not-sandwich arrived. Shirley handed it over with his coffee, Jeff said a word of thanks then went and sat down at one of the tables.   
Jeff was pretty sure he'd only agreed to this dance because he knew it would be something Annie would enjoy, the suspect searching was a very lame excuse. Again, it was too early for this kind of self reflection, he decided as he sipped his coffee.   
That moment, Annie emerged from the stairwell. She was dressed in her usual tight pencil skirt, her hair was straightened and styled to perfection, she had make up on, and there was no sign she'd barely slept. Jeff could feel his heart hammering looking at her and he knew he was a goner, maybe it would be easier to stop denying it and perhaps just wallow in the pity that even if he admitted that he liked her, nothing could happen.   
"Morning Jeff," Annie smiled, taking a seat across from him. He could smell her floral perfume.   
"Yeah, morning," he murmured, taking a bite of his not-sandwich.   
"That looks..." Annie trailed off.   
"Appetising is the word I'd go for," Jeff shrugged, his mouth half full. Annie chuckled, looking over the menu board.   
"I think I'll stick with a granola bar, is the coffee decent at least?" She asked. Jeff shrugged.   
"Just have mine, I'm fine," He said, pushing the cup towards her. She looked at it with a puzzled expression. "I only took one sip," He assured her. Annie chuckled again, shrugging too and taking the cup, sipping it slowly.   
Why exactly couldn't anything happen between him and Annie? The age gap was his first excuse, but Annie had already expressed that she didn't care. Their working together could be an issue, but as Annie had also mentioned, they just wouldn't be able to work another case together after this one. Jeff watched as Annie animatedly talked about the case and where she thought they could go next and how frustrating it was to feel so close yet so far, and he knew the real reason he felt like it couldn't happen was because he felt like he wasn't good enough. She was bright-eyed, mature, intelligent, fun and positive. She'd made herself personalised business cards like a saleswoman, and Jeff had found that adorable forgodssakes. Jeff was cynical, arrogant and drained. Even if Annie did make him feel more alert, enthusiastic and thrilled than he had in months, possibly years, he couldn't rely on her to make him feel that way. That wasn't fair on her.   
"So what do you think?" Annie finished, looking at him. Jeff internally groaned when he couldn't recall what she'd just finished asking him.   
"Hmm?" He hummed.   
"Hearing must be going," She smirked, then winced. "Not because of your age-"   
"Annie," He sighed, feeling her stammering coming on again.   
"It's just a phrase I didn't mean-"   
"Christ, lets go," He groaned, standing up and leaving his half eaten not-sandwich on the table. 

"I hate hospitals," Jeff sighed as they walked through the hallways, following the instructions of the receptionist on how to get to the Oncology ward.   
"I don't know anyone who likes hospitals," Annie remarked, looking up at him as she walked alongside him.   
"Plenty of people do, Hypochondriacs, I'm sure," He pointed out. His eyes fell on a nurse bending over a counter. "I mean maybe it's not the worst thing in the world," He added.   
Annie whacked his stomach, the small trace of a smile present on the corners of her mouth.   
They rounded the corner to a hallway filled with rooms. As they walked past Jeff saw many children sitting in beds, some with tubes in their noses, some with bald heads, some still asleep and some surrounded by loved ones. The hospital had tried to brighten the place up with colorful posters, and artwork done by the children, but this hallway in particular seemed very grim.   
"This is so..." Annie whispered with a sigh.   
"Fucking sad?" Jeff mumbled in response. They stopped outside an empty room with a hand drawn sign reading 'Simon' stuck to the front door.   
"Simon was a big part of this ward," A voice from behind them said. They turned and coming towards them was the nurse who had been bent over the counter earlier. She had bright red hair and was a little older than Jeff had expected. "That's why it's so quiet this morning, usually the kids are up chatting with each other, Simon's death has hit us all hard," She continued.   
"I'm so sorry," Annie offered, looking at her. "How old was he?"   
"Only ten," The nurse sighed, stepping into the room and making Simon's old bed. "How can I help you guys?" She asked.   
"We're Detective Winger and Edison, investigating some suspicious deaths here in Greendale," Jeff introduced. "Do you work on this ward often?"   
The nurse nodded. "Yeah, this is my station, Nurse Ekin, but call me Sophie," She smiled tightly. "Why has your investigation brought you to Oncology?" She asked.   
"Do you know Doctor Stephenson?" Jeff asked.   
"Rich? Yeah, everybody knows him, he's the nicest guy in all of Greendale," Sophie chuckled. "Pretty easy on the eyes too," She added, winking at Annie, who giggled a little. Jeff ground his jaw a little.   
"See him here last Thursday night?" He asked bluntly. Sophie thought for a moment.   
"Oh! Yeah, I did, very briefly, came to check on Simon's latest blood reports, Rich was here having dinner with him, something he does a lot, he's so sweet, does it off shift so he's not being paid for it or anything," Sophie smiled.   
"Aw," Annie cooed. Jeff pursed his lips.   
"See him leave?" He asked. Sophie shook her head.   
"My shift was done by then, but you're welcome to check our visitors log, and if you want to go so far as to check security, I'm sure we can give you clearance, but I think you're barking up the wrong tree, Rich wouldn't hurt a fly," Sophie assured.   
"It's all standard procedure, just following leads, we'll check that log," Annie smiled at her. Sophie nodded, then left to retrieve it.   
"Something doesn't feel right about this guy," Jeff muttered to Annie. Annie raised her eyebrow.   
"What? Because you can't believe anyone can be selfless and kind?" She rolled her eyes.   
"Annie, no one IS that selfless and kind," Jeff said firmly. "Not without reason," He added.   
"And what reason would his be?" She sighed.   
"So that lovely nurses like Sophie and doe eyed women like you think he couldn't possibly hurt anyone," He pointed out. Annie glared at him but before she could say anything Sophie returned with the log. Annie took it quickly and flipped to the most recent page.   
"So Doctor Stephenson left at 7:30pm," Annie read.   
"Which makes him unaccountable for the rest of the evening," Jeff said. Annie looked up at him blankly, handing the book back to Sophie with a small thank you.   
They left the hospital and Jeff stretched to the sky as the sun bore down on him. It was nearing the middle of the morning now, he was feeling a bit more coherent, and he was starting to feel like maybe they'd found a reliable suspect. Rich had been dredging the river the day Pierce had been killed, which could possibly be the dirt, and he didn't have a solid alibi for the evening.   
"Enjoying that?" Annie asked, staring at him with an unreadable expression. Jeff opened one eye to look at her.   
"A bit of sun is welcome after all the snow in Denver," he sighed. He looked across at her. She seemed drained, it wasn't like her. She seemed to be thinking hard, but Jeff couldn't tell what was on her mind. He wondered if she was disappointed about Rich, that he could possibly be their killer. He decided not to bring it up, they deserved a break and a bit of cheer.   
God, Annie must really be getting to him.   
"Hey so, I told Shirley we'd go to that dance tonight," He said. "Just to observe for suspects of course but uh... why don't we go find something to wear? I don't know about you but I didn't bring anything for a dance," He smiled softly. He sounded nervous, and he was. He hadn't been nervous around a girl in years, but Annie made his whole stomach curl as if it was going to pour out of him. But then it burst into waves of excitement and thrill when she smiled up at him.   
"Yeah that sounds good," She nodded. "Could use at least an hour to clear my head," she agreed.   
Jeff drove them to a nearby shopping centre. It wasn't anything flash like the big centres they had in Denver, but it would do. They went to the department store, going to the menswear section first. They easily picked out a shirt and tie for Jeff, one that would go with a pair of pants and jacket he'd already bought with him. Then they went over to the womenswear section.   
"What kind of dresses do you like?" Jeff asked, eyeing over a few tight, black numbers. Annie looked at them too and visibly recoiled.   
"I don't really dress up for a lot of stuff anymore," She sighed. Jeff looked over at her, following her gaze to a few of the brighter dresses with patterns and sequins. He licked his lips, remembering what she'd said about not wearing those things because people didn't take her seriously. Throwing caution to the wind, he put his hand on her lower back and led her over to the bright clothing.   
"You should wear something that feels like you," He said firmly. Annie looked up at him with a shy smile on her face. She slowly picked up a pastel blue number, then the floodgates seemed to open and she picked out five more dresses with various patterns.   
She went into the fitting rooms and Jeff took a seat outside. He watched through a gap at the bottom of the door as she kicked her shoes off and her clothes hit the floor, and then quickly looked away when he realised he was being a creep. He glanced back when he heard fabric slide on, expecting her to come out and show him but instead saw her bare feet dancing to the music playing in the store through the crack, and he couldn't help but smile fondly.   
He was really gone for Annie. It was a realisation that had been building and building, and perhaps he'd accepted it before now, but now was when he realised he couldn't hold it in. He had to tell her that maybe this could work, if that's what she wanted. Maybe he wasn't good enough but he could try. A part of him knew that making the decision for her was just as bad as underestimating her like every other man in her life - she could handle herself, that much was obvious, and if she didn't think he was worthy of her, she wouldn't pretend.  
He had been improving since meeting Annie. He would have declared this a cold case long before now, had Annie not been so determined to figure this out. He would have lost interest and motivation, but Annie made him want to work hard. He was laughing more, even just smiling more around her.   
He was nearing forty, maybe it was time to think seriously about someone. And Annie didn't have to be that someone, but she could be his first attempt in a while at something serious. And if it didn't work out, he'd drink himself into a stupor for a while, then try again. Annie made him want to believe in having someone to come home to. Even his apartment was starting to feel too big for him, and he'd known that before Annie but hadn't wanted to admit it until now.   
It took Annie ten minutes, but she finally emerged from the changing stall.   
"I don't get to see?" Jeff asked, raising his hands in indignation. Annie rolled her eyes fondly.   
"Course not, would ruin the surprise for tonight," She giggled, looking at the dresses. Her gaze lingered on a dark green sequined dress, but then she went back to the pastel blue number. "This one's on sale," She said, extracting the blue one from the group.   
"But is it your favourite?" He asked, but he already knew the answer.   
"Well no, I liked the green one best, but it's way too expensive-"   
Jeff took the green one from her hands. "I got it," He smiled, gleefully making his way to the counter. Now that he'd decided he was going to shoot his shot with Annie, he wanted it to be perfect. He'd get her the perfect dress, ask her to dance tonight like a lovesick teenager, and then he'd confess his feelings. It would be something out of a rom-com and he somehow knew Abed would be proud of him.   
"Jeff, no!" Annie cried, following after him and depositing the other dresses on a rack for the retail assistant to put away.   
"Annie, yes," Jeff smirked.   
"Jeff it's too much-"   
"Annie, I make double your salary, I've been an ass to you on this trip, if this dress makes you feel confident and most like you, let me get it for you," He insisted, putting her dress and his own clothes on the counter. The lady behind it looked utterly bored, scanning the clothes without greeting them.   
"I can pay you back," Annie said, her voice quieter, touching his arm. Jeff looked down at her.   
"It's a gift, Christmas is coming up," he shrugged.   
"It's January," Annie pointed out.   
"Whatever, just-" he cut himself off as he paid for the clothes, swiping his card in the eftpos machine the lady lazily held out to him. "Just say thank you," He said, taking the shopping bag with Annie's dress in it and handing it to her. Annie licked her lips, looking up at Jeff like he was handing her a star. She took the bag then embraced him. He got a mouthful of hair, perfume infiltrating his nostrils.   
"Thank you Jeff," She whispered, her cheek against his chest. Jeff smiled.   
"You're welcome," he said. They pulled back, only half an arms length apart, their eyes connected. Jeff's heart skipped a beat and he glanced down at Annie's lips before-  
"Annie!" The voice he'd come to hate the most interrupted them, making them come apart. Rich sidled up to them, carrying a shopping bag of his own.  
"Rich," Annie replied, smiling wide at him. Jeff's fast beating heart now pumped him with adrenaline and anger.   
"What are you two doing here? Taking a break?" Rich asked, looking between them. He must have seen they'd been having a moment, Jeff was sure he'd interrupted on purpose.   
"Oh yeah, just uh, getting some clothes for the dance at Shirley's Sandwiches tonight," Annie smiled brightly.   
"Fun! I was just doing the same, I didn't know you guys were coming," He smiled.   
"Well we need to observe the town for suspects," Jeff said tightly, eyes steeled and lips in a tight smile.   
"Oh well, suppose I can't ask you to be my date then Annie?" Rich smiled across at her. Annie's lips parted in shock and her eyes went adorably wide and Jeff had to stop this because Rich was going to ruin all the character growth - as Abed would say - that he'd had in the last twenty minutes.   
"Uh no she can't, Rich, we can't go on dates with suspects so-" He quickly interjected.   
"Oh, I'm still a suspect?" He asked, frowning.   
"No, you're not," Annie gritted out, glaring at Jeff. "You've got an alibi, you're not a suspect, I'd love to go with you."   
Jeff felt his beating heart shatter and crumble into his stomach. His jaw tightened and he marched away, out of the store towards the car. 

Their car ride to the Inn was infamously quiet. Jeff could feel the anger boiling inside him and he knew Annie was staying timidly quiet, clearly trying not to start an argument.   
They walked up to their room, and Jeff dropped his backpack down on the bed, rubbing his face.   
"Jeff, please just listen," Annie began quietly but Jeff felt his resolve boil over, exploding.   
"If you think I'm going to let you go anywhere with -"  
"Let me? You don't have any say in what I do!" Her voice raised quickly, he knew he was striking a nerve.   
"As your senior detective I do, I can order you to stay up here and fill out the paperwork so far for this case, you're not going to the dance," Jeff practically growled, turning to face her. Her face was flushed with anger, her eyes looked more furious than he'd ever seen. He hated being on the receiving end of it, but he couldn't let this happen. It wasn't just about the fact that he'd wanted to ask Annie out, and she'd said yes to Rich instead, it was because he was pretty sure Rich was their guy, and Annie would be in danger.   
"Jeff if he's the culprit I could find that out tonight, I could get close to him-" Annie tried to explain calmly, even if her glare could light a house on fire.   
"Detective Edison you will stay up here, where you're safe and that is an order," Jeff found himself shouting. His chest was heaving, and his hands were closed in fists. Annie's eyes welled up, absolute betrayal clear on her face.   
"You're such a jerk, you're just like every other man on the force treating me like a child!" She shouted back, then marched into the bathroom, locking the door. Jeff had better sense than to point out that it was indeed children that stormed off into tantrums, because he knew he'd basically just had a big tantrum too. And hers made way more sense than his. 

Jeff had never in his life been on time for a party. But Annie hadn't come out of the bathroom all afternoon - which had made getting ready very difficult for him - so he figured he may as well let her have the rest of the room back, and he went down to the party right on starting time.   
He needn't have worried, apparently this town didn't want to miss a single second of this dance, the Inn was heaving with people when he got down there, some people already drunk. Jeff did indeed want to stay alert tonight, but he also needed a drink to help fight off the nauseous feeling he had in his stomach since he fought with Annie.   
He sipped at his scotch, taking it slow as he watched the crowd build and build. He saw Rich arrive about an hour into the party, and he went and stood by the stairwell that lead up to the rooms. Only minutes later, the most stunning woman he'd ever seen came down the stairs. Her brown hair was lightly curled and styled to sit over her shoulders, her make up was subtle, but made her big blue eyes pop, and the green sequined dress hugged curves Jeff didn't even know she had, paired with sleek black heels that made her legs look long despite her short stature.   
A slow song came on over the speakers, and Rich guided Annie out onto the dance floor by her hand, pulling her close. Jeff watched unashamedly as the two spun slowly, Annie giggling at something Rich said. When Rich slowly reached up to push a tendril of hair behind Annie's ear, a classic pre-kiss move, Jeff dashed over, nearly dropping his scotch on the ground in the process.   
"May I cut in?" He said. Rich looked at Jeff, then seemed to decide not to argue with an officer, slowly stepping back from Annie. Payback for interrupting our would-be kiss before, bastard, Jeff thought.   
Jeff slowly took Annie's waist, and Annie sighed, reaching up and putting her arms around his neck. He didn't want to yell at her again, he'd hated it enough the first time, so he changed tact.  
"I told you to stay upstairs Milady," he murmured, going for charm rather than the seething anger building in his veins. It didn't seem to work in his favour.   
"You don't get to tell me what to do, I emailed Duncan my relocation from the precinct, you're no longer my boss," Annie said firmly, looking up at him. Jeff felt like he'd been delivered a fatal blow to the stomach. He licked his lips.   
"Change your mind, email him and tell him it was a mistake," Jeff breathed. He could hear the desperation in his own voice, and he hated it but he needed Annie to know he was serious. Annie scoffed, shaking her head and looking away. Jeff twirled her out then spun her back in so her back was pressed to his chest, his lips on her ear, letting his feelings come tumbling out without too much thought. "Annie, you drive me crazy, I've never met anyone who makes me feel-"   
She cut him off by stepping away from him out of his arms. "Don't do this right now Jeff," She sighed. "Just...don't," she said, walking away from him back over to Rich, who was now at the bar, leaving Jeff standing on the dance floor. 

The music picked up considerably after that, and Jeff watched as Annie and Rich laughed as they danced together, Abed, Troy and Britta joining the fray. He imagined what tonight could have been like if he'd told her how he felt before Rich had seen them today. He should have taken the chance then. They could have danced together, kissed during the slow song, and then had the time of their lives with their new friends, before going upstairs to have slow, sensual sex, followed by cuddles throughout the night, breakfast in bed and another more passionate round before solving the case together.   
But no, Jeff was a fucking idiot who didn't get to have that, and the worst part was, he realised, as he watched Annie laugh at Rich's comments that he whispered right into her ear with his hand on her waist, the worst part was that she deserved this. She deserved fun, crazy nights with young people her age, and guys who could actually give her the effort and attention she deserved. Maybe Rich wasn't the bad guy, it wasn't like they had substantial evidence that he was, it was just Jeff wanting him so desperately to be the bad guy so he couldn't have Annie.   
"Not a big dancer then? I would have pegged you for a party boy, picking up pretty girls," Shirley said from behind the bar, fixing Jeff a drink without him having to ask. Jeff stayed quiet to her comment, but slowly turned so his back was to the dance floor. He downed the drink in one sip. He was snapped out of his pity party when that old guy, Leonard, stormed over to demand another drink, knocking a terracotta vase off the bar to the ground.   
"Leonard!" Shirley admonished, and Jeff slid over the bar to help her pick up the shards. "Thank you Jeffrey," she said quietly. "Leonard you bastard, this was one of Rich's original pieces!" She yelled. Jeff frowned.   
"Rich makes vases?" He asked, standing up straight and putting the pieces on the counter, looking around and now noticing the various vases, sculptures and ornaments around the place.   
"Oh yes, he's a big shot around here," Shirley explained. "His stuff is super expensive, only the richest in Greendale can afford it, but he occasionally donates a few to the hospital and stuff, he made me some as a gift when the Inn opened, I only put them on display for special occasions," she smiled. Jeff frowned, recognising the style of one of the sculptures of an angel.   
He remembered seeing very similar handiwork at Pierce's house, sculptures of him and some naked women.   
Jeff felt his throat close up and his stomach lurched, and he leaped over the bar, grabbing out his phone and dialing forensics after googling the number. It went to message bank and Jeff realised they must be here. Stupid small towns.   
He ran through the crowd, keeping an eye out for Doctor Ashford. Finally, he found him, having a deep conversation with none other than Dean Pelton, who was dressed in a pale blue lace ballgown that only just touched the floor.   
"Oh hello Detective Winger," the Dean greeted, his hand automatically going out and stroking his tie. "Thought you weren't coming? Care for a dance?"   
Jeff ignored him and looked at Doctor Ashford. "That grime, found on Hawthorne's shirt," Jeff began.   
"What about it?" He shrugged, taking a lazy sip of his beer.   
"Could it have been clay?" He asked. Doctor Ashford thought for a moment.   
"I'd have to double check and make sure, but yes, it definitely could have been, it would have the right consistency," he nodded. Jeff's eyes widened, his heart hammering. He knew it, he just knew it.   
Annie was in danger.   
He ran back through the crowd, shouting her name, his eyes wildly searching for her dark hair.   
"Jeff, why are you shouting so loud?" Troy asked when he ran into them, his arm around Britta's waist and Abed standing beside them.   
"Are you about to confess your undeniable love for Annie? It would have made sense before when you were dancing but this works-" Abed began.   
"Where is she? Where's Annie?" He asked.   
"You're too late man, Rich just took her home, they seemed pretty handsy," Britta explained. Jeff's eyes widened.   
"Officer Nadir and Barnes I have strong reason to suspect that Rich is our guy," Jeff said firmly.   
"What? He can't be, he's the nicest guy-" Troy objected.   
"In Greendale, I've heard. I don't have time to explain all the details right now, but trust me, Annie could be in grave danger, you have to take me to his place, right now," Jeff nearly shouted. He felt like he could vomit. Annie could be hurt, or worse, and it would be all his fault.   
Abed and Troy seemed to grasp that Jeff wasn't messing around. Troy hadn't had that much to drink, so he offered to drive, kissing Britta goodbye after convincing her she couldn't come along. They all piled into Jeff's car, and while Jeff would usually be so uptight about who drove his car, his mind was filled with worries of Annie, and Troy knew where to go better than he did.   
Troy maneuvered through all the back streets to avoid lights and get to Rich's house in under fifteen minutes.   
"I have spare weapons in the back," Jeff said, the three jumping out. Jeff opened the back of his car and unlocked a small safe. It only held three pistols, nothing too heavy duty, but it would have to do. The three slowly approached the house, but when Jeff started to hear the sounds of crashing and grunting, he marched forward, kicking open the door with three hard kicks.   
They rushed in, guns cocked. The noise was coming from deeper in the house, so the three followed through, until they found stairs to a basement. Jeff went down quickly but carefully, before emerging into a dimly lit room, filled with clay sculptures of men and women - Jeff instantly recognised a sculpture of Pierce at the forefront.   
Annie's hair was disheveled and she had a cut on her lip, with a slight mascara smudge under her right eye, her gun was heeled in her hand and Rich was collapsed at her feet.   
"Took you long enough," she croaked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go. Your comments and kudos literally make me smile everytime, I love chatting with you guys in the comments. Btw if you have any ideas or suggestions for fics you'd love about Annie/Jeff but it's just not been done, let me know down there, I'd love to give them a go :)


	6. Chapter 6

Annie tried to catch her breath as she saw Jeff, Abed and Troy look at her, shock evident on their faces. She swallowed thickly.   
"I knew it had to be Rich from the beginning," She began, straightening up and looking down at the collapsed Rich at her feet, knocked out from the force of the blow from the gun to his head. She looked back up, connecting her eyes with Jeff's. "He wanted to get so close with me so quickly, had to be so he could keep tabs on the case," she explained. "At least, I couldn't think of any other reason why he'd do that," she sighed. Jeff's eyebrows pinched down for a second, like he had an argument to that, and his confession at the dance flashed through Annie's mind, but she couldn't get hung up on that right now. It had taken all her strength not to give into it then, but it would have foiled her plan.   
"I also noticed a few pottery pieces at his place, and thought the dirt could have been clay. I decided to let him get close to me so I could figure out if he was our guy but..." she trailed off, licking her lips. "Someone kept interrupting that," she sighed, looking Jeff up and down before glancing away to Troy and Abed. "When I was in the bathroom today I looked Rich up, found his pottery business on Facebook and saw Pierce Hawthorne had left a lengthy review on Rich's pieces, and uploaded photos of sculptures Rich had done for him. Rich had told us he'd never really spoken to Pierce, so it all kept adding up," she continued. She met Jeff's eyes once more. "I lied about sending my relocation to Duncan, because I knew that would be enough to get you to leave me alone for the night, and when Rich and I were dancing he uh... offered to take me here for a nightcap," she explained. "We got here, and while he was making drinks in the kitchen, I pretended to go to the bathroom and found this room," she said, gesturing to all the sculptures. Abed walked past her to some of the sculptures and nodded.   
"All the victims are here," He nodded.   
"Inside the sculptures?" Troy gasped.   
"No, we've got all the bodies Troy," Annie frowned. "No, I think instead of collecting their bodies he makes these as his trophies instead," she sighed. She rubbed the back of her neck, her body was sore.   
"Rich came downstairs and found me here, he attacked me, tried to knock me out but I evaded... managed to pull my gun on him and knock him out," she finished her story.   
"Where were you hiding a gun in that dress?" Troy asked. Annie felt her face flush as the garter around her thigh prickled. She pointedly avoided Jeff's eyes.   
"Why didn't you tell me you had more evidence?" Jeff asked. Annie looked over and watched as he stepped closer to her. Sensing the tension, Troy walked over to Abed, who was noting and cataloging each of the sculptures. Annie looked up at Jeff, shrugging.   
"I wanted to prove to you that I could handle it, that I could figure this out and bring him to justice," She murmured.   
"He could have killed you," Jeff pointed out.   
"I know what I'm doing," Annie gritted out, her gaze beginning to become a glare. "I don't need you or anyone to protect me, I'm...I'm a good cop," her voice cracked on that last part.   
"Yeah you are," Jeff affirmed, his tone not matching hers. He was staying strangely calm. "I'm sorry I didn't make it obvious that I knew that," he sighed. Annie felt her anger dim a little, especially when Jeff's hand slowly came up to her chin, his thumb gently rubbing the dried blood on her lip.   
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything I knew...It was unprofessional," Annie admitted, her voice a whisper. Her hands were shaking and she wondered if Jeff could tell.   
"Come here," He breathed, pulling her close and holding her tight. Annie's eyes fluttered closed as she pressed her face to his firm chest. Suddenly, she felt safe. "I thought I was going to lose you tonight, in more ways than one," He whispered into her hair. Annie melted more into his touch.   
"It was kind of scary," she admitted softly. "He came at me so quickly and-" She cut herself off, her mind's eye flashing with memories of Rich's large frame hurtling towards her, his eyes deranged.   
"I've got you," Jeff whispered. He stroked her hair soothingly, and after a moment she slowly pulled back to look at him.   
"Jeff," she whispered at the same time he whispered her name, their eyes unwavering.   
And it was ridiculous, because there was a murderer at their feet, they had a lot of things they had to sort out between them, and forgodsakes it had only been a week of knowing each other, but when their lips found each other, all of it seemed to fade, and Annie didn't want to be anywhere else. 

Annie rolled her neck as she slid the last bit of her paperwork into her 'completed' folder in her desk drawer. She should be relieved. It was a Friday morning and she'd pretty much finished all her tasks for the week, meaning she'd definitely leave on time today.   
However, there was one hitch in that plan.   
As if appearing knowing she was thinking about him, Annie's office door swung open, and a slightly out of breath Jeff Winger was standing in her doorway. Two years of being in a most-of-the-time-functional relationship didn't diminish how quickly he could take her breath away in the right tight sweater and a perfect amount of scruff around his chin. Today was one of those days, even though she was annoyed with him, she couldn't help but look him up and down slowly.   
Jeff's smirk meant that he'd definitely noticed. "So, we're doing this yeah?" He breathed raggedly. Annie raised one eyebrow, reclining in her office chair.   
"Doing what?" She asked innocently, crossing her arms just to help puff her breasts up just a bit.   
"Don't play coy, you knew what you were implying when you sent me that text," Jeff said firmly. Annie shrugged.   
"Well technically Jeff you are about to be screwed in my office if you don't get this paperwork done," She tilted her head, eyeing the offending paperwork pile sitting on the end of her desk. "I'm planning on getting out on time today, and I may just lay around at home all alone if you don't get yours done on time," she sighed wistfully. "It's getting warmer too, might just have to wear that nightie you bought me for my birthday," she shrugged. She was teasing, and she knew it. The nightie he bought was practically see through and barely held her breasts in. She never wore it unless to rile him up or get her way - or sometimes both. But dammit she wanted them to actually spend the weekend together, it'd be the first time in a while she wouldn't have work to take home with her. Ever since Duncan left to England to chase some girl he met online, and Annie ascended the ranks and took over his position as constable, her workload had been huge. Not that she minded, Annie loved that she finally had more responsibility, even if that meant she was Jeff's boss.  
"Can I get screwed really hard in your office if I get it done before lunch?" Jeff finally spoke up, his eyebrows raised in challenge. Annie recoiled at the idea of doing it in her office where anyone could walk in, but a part of her almost wanted him to try just for the chance of being that risky. She eyed the pile of paperwork. It was enough that she was fairly certain he wouldn't be able to do it, and therefore the risk was exciting, but also safe.   
"I'd like to see you try," she smirked back. Jeff grinned maniacally and scooped the pile up, rushing off to his own desk. Annie shook her head fondly, and logged onto her laptop to send off some emails to Troy, Abed, Britta and Shirley. She'd promised them that her and Jeff would come visit soon, they hadn't been back to Greendale in a few months now, with Annie getting her promotion they hadn't had the time. But they'd formed a friendship with that group, and Annie had come to love them, and she knew Jeff wouldn't admit it out loud but he did too. She smiled fondly at the memory of Abed clapping and saying finally when her and Jeff had kissed in Rich's basement - a story she didn't often tell people when recounting the romance in their relationship. She usually just told the story of their kiss at the Inn, even if it was a drunken encounter, she pretended that was the start of their relationship, rather than revealing they'd made out in a murderer's basement surrounded by his trophies. Only their weird little Greendale group knew that fact.   
Annie looked over at the framed photo she had of her and Jeff on her desk, right next to a group photo of them all in Greendale. It had taken her a while to get here, but she finally felt like she was on the right path. She smoothed the floral skirt she had on - no one dared question the leadership of Annie Edison now - and started on next week's work. Maybe she'd even be able to go home on time next week too. Perhaps her and Jeff could take a trip down to Greendale for the weekend.   
Annie watched as the clock ticked closer and closer to midday with no sign of Jeff. Her worry about having to do it in her office was fading, but a slight tinge of disappointment came with it.   
Then, right on 11:58am, Jeff came swanning in, as if he was in no rush, and handed Annie the pile of paperwork. "Completed to perfection, milady," he promised, smiling wide. Annie began to flick through the papers to check Jeff had actually done it all, her skin erupting in goosebumps when she heard her office door being locked.   
"There's no way you actually got all this done on time," she stammered. She hadn't looked up, but the first sign that Jeff had come closer was the feeling of his lips pressing to the back of her neck as he stood behind her.   
"Why are you actively trying to find fault so we can't have sex in your office?" He murmured.   
"Because I don't want you to win," She sighed.   
"It's sex in your office baby, we both win," he pointed out, and he was using 'baby,' he only ever brought that out to get his way. Annie didn't want to admit that it was working.   
"Jeff if we get caught-"   
"I locked your door."   
"Someone will hear-"   
"I know how to keep you quiet."   
Annie scoffed at that last part, though she could feel herself getting more and more turned on as Jeff kissed at her skin, sliding one hand down her front to make a fist in her skirt. "C'mon baby," he breathed.   
"You're such an asshole," She rolled her eyes.   
"Because I know how to persuade you?" he smirked, sliding one hand along her inner thigh now, pressing one thumb over her panties. Annie gasped softly, her head falling back against his chest.   
"Christ, fine, but quickly," She gave in, though she knew she'd pretty much been on board since he'd suggested it this morning. Or even since she sent that text knowing he'd read into it.   
She spun around and Jeff immediately lifted her under the thighs so she was sat on the edge of her desk. He took a seat in her chair and then pulled her into his lap so her legs were straddling him. Annie wrapped her arms around his neck at the same time his hands found purchase on her hips, their lips connected so Jeff could swallow Annie's moans.   
"You're my worst employee," Annie breathed, beginning to unbutton his shirt and mapping his skin with her mouth as she went.   
"Please continue to punish me if it's like this," Jeff breathed out. He gasped as Annie latched her teeth onto his right nipple. "Okay, okay, I'll do my paperwork more often," he promised. Annie smirked against his skin. Jeff didn't like giving up the upperhand for too long though, and he pulled Annie's mouth back up to kiss her deeply, unbuttoning her shirt and sliding his hands under her bra to squeeze both of her breasts. Annie whimpered against his mouth, her hips automatically grinding down on him.   
"Careful, careful, I won't last, this is all way too hot to keep up," Jeff confessed, sliding his hands down to grip both of her ass cheeks to slow her grinding. She whined softly.   
"Hurry up and get to your bit then," she commanded.   
"So bossy."   
"I am your boss," Annie pointed out, nipping his jaw. Jeff smirked.   
"That's so hot," He grinned. Annie rolled her eyes again. Jeff took it as a hint and slid one hand around to pull her panties down. With it dangling from one ankle, Jeff ran his fingers along her slit, before pushing one finger in at the same time as he used his thumb to rub her clit. Annie's eyes fluttered closed and she connected their lips, moaning into his mouth. She could hear people walking around outside and Jeff was right, it really added to it and made it so much hotter. She knew Jeff was a bad influence on her, but if this was bad, she didn't mind.   
After a few moments of whimpering and pleading as Jeff pumped more and more of his fingers into her, Annie shakily undid his belt buckle and zipped his fly down. She pulled his rock hard dick out of his underwear, shuffling so she could line him up.   
"Fuck! I don't have a condom," Jeff groaned, his eyes widening almost comically. "Shit, how did I manage to get this fantasy going and I forgot the condom-"   
"My bottom drawer, under the box of tissues," Annie breathed shakily, her hips trembling to hold herself up. Jeff's eyebrow raised.   
"Oh you've so wanted to do this-"   
"Jeff, so help me God I will climb off you," Annie nearly growled out and Jeff needed no further convincing. He reached into her drawer and extracted a condom, a stupid smug look on his face as he rolled it on. She'd have to pay him back for it later - maybe she would just lie around in that nightie and refuse to let him touch her.   
She couldn't think about that now. Jeff finally finished rolling the condom on, and Annie slowly sunk down onto him. Both groaned, quickly kissing each other to quieten the sounds. Annie wrapped her arms around Jeff's neck just as he wrapped his arms around her waist. After a moment, Jeff began to thrust up and Annie let out a slightly louder whimper. Jeff stilled his movements.   
"Jeff, don't stop-"   
"If you make too much noise, I will stop," Jeff warned. Annie knew there wasn't any truth to his words, he was just as far gone as she was, but even the empty veil of a threat made her bite down hard on her lip to stop any noise. Jeff seemed satisfied with that, and he slowly began to thrust again. The angle was perfect, it was hitting right where Annie wanted every time, and she made a mental note to remember to incorporate this position at home.   
"You're so hot baby, fuck," Jeff gasped against her neck, his lips stroking the skin as he spoke.   
Jeff's thrusts sped up, and Annie bit down hard on his shoulder to hold back her noises, which only spurred him on more. Jeff had been right - again - it wasn't going to last long for either of them. As soon as Jeff slid his hand between them to stroke at her clit, Annie was riding out her orgasm, and when she tightened around him in doing so, she felt his hips stutter as he came hard too.   
They sat still connected for a few moments more, listening to each other pant. Annie gently stroked the teeth shaped marks in Jeff's shoulder.   
They were snapped out of their reverie by a knock on the door. Annie jumped, and slowly climbed off Jeff, both of them hissing quietly as they came apart.   
"Constable Edison?" One of her officers, Mark, called through the door.   
"One moment, on a call," She called out, her voice slightly hoarse. They listened as Mark's footsteps died away and released their breath when they both knew he was gone. As they redressed, Annie eyed the stack of Jeff's paperwork. Something was off about them.   
"Thanks for the quickie boss," Jeff smirked as he stood. "Since I finished all my work, reckon I can clock off for the day?" He asked, kissing her cheek. Annie finished buttoning her blouse then picked up the pile of paperwork.   
"I'm going to give you two options Detective Winger," She hummed, smirking up at him. Jeff raised an eyebrow. "You can either completely re-do your paperwork, yourself this time-"   
"What? Annie I did my paperwork," Jeff groaned. Annie shook her head.   
"You think I don't have all my officer's handwriting memorised? What exactly did you promise Neil for doing all your work for you?" She asked, tilting her head. Annie could see the cogs turning in Jeff's head as he tried to figure his way out of this - nothing seemed to come to his mind and he groaned.   
"I promised I could get Vicki to join his Dungeons and Dragons campaign," He sighed. Annie chuckled.   
"So like I said, I give you two options, you can either go re-do your paperwork yourself, or, you can clock off early, go home and make me my favourite dinner, with some nice wine and put up with me wearing that nightie without touching me, all night, the choice is yours," she smirked. She had him, hook line and sinker. Jeff pursed his lips, thinking it over, before rolling his eyes and taking the stack of paperwork.   
"I love you," Annie sing-songed.   
"I love you too, but with an undertone of malice and a desire to only stick around for the hot office sex," Jeff repeated, turning to leave her office. Annie watched him go with a fond smile on her face. She was definitely still going to demand her favourite meal and tease him with the nightie this evening, she had to keep him on his toes and show who was boss.   
After all, she was on the path to world domination here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for all the love on this fic. I really really appreciate it and I hope you guys like this ending. I loved reading all your suggestions for fics on the last chapter, so if you have any more or want to comment one on this chapter, please feel free to. I've just published a oneshot set in season 5 along with this chapter, so go check that out and keep an eye for more Jeff/Annie from me in the future :)


End file.
